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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2022 with funding from 
Princeton Theological Seminary Library 


https://archive.org/details/psalmsOOunse_0O 


THE PSALMS 


THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS 
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 


reareanes 


THE BAKER & TAYLOR COMPANY 
NEW YORK 


THE MACMILLAN COMPANY OF CANADA, LIMITED 
TORONTO 


THE CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS 
LONDON 


THE MARUZEN-KABUSHIKI-KAISHA 
TOKYO, OSAKA, KYOTO, FUKUOKA, SENDAI 


THE MISSION BOOK COMPANY 
SHANGHAI 


—_ a ‘We > a ae | 
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SEG ae Pro 


eS “s mee 


PSALMS 


TRANSLATED 
5 iy 


VL OW ES SaVi0 Ty El 


Che University of Chicago Press 


1926 


OTS 226. 
A 


Noa 4, eww 


CopyricuT 1926 By 
Tue University or CHicaco 


All Rights Reserved 


Published September 1926 


Composed and Printed By 
The University of Chicago Press 
Chicago, Illinois. U.S.A. 


PREFACE 


E new translation presented here is not an attempt to 
bring the Psalms down to the level of the mythical 
“man on the street.”” The Psalms, like most of the Old Testa- 
ment writings, belong to the world’s literary classics. They 
are not, therefore, fittingly translated unless they are repro- 
duced in a language and style befitting their spirit and con- 
tent. This translation is debtor to all that have gone before 
it. It does not aim to dethrone the recognized classical ren- 
dering found in the King James Version. That still stands un- 
rivaled as a masterpiece of English literature.The desire of this 
rendering is rather to incorporate within itself the results of 
the scholarship of recent decades. The purpose of a transla- 
tion should be to express, as completely and accurately as the 
limitations of the language permit, the thought and feeling of 
the original. No translator can hope to carry over the entire 
content of his original. Something is always lost in the trans- 
fer. The only way to avoid such loss is to indulge in para- 
phrase. The gains made by paraphrase are more than offset 
by its losses. It affords too much opportunity for the subjec- 
tive imagination to permit its being used as a safe guide to 
the content of the original. This rendering, therefore, while 
seeking to avoid a bald literalism, prefers to err upon that 
side rather than upon the side of paraphrastic expansion. 
The widest departure from the official translations will be 
found in the region of textual criticism. There is no attempt 
here to produce a scientifically accurate text. Such an effort 
would be out of place in a translation intended for the public 
in general. The aim has been rather to accept the official text 


Lv] 


PREFACE 

where it was susceptible of translation and made reasonable 
sense; but to correct that text wherever it was manifestly 
wrong. In a great many cases the right text is presented by 
some one or more of the ancient versions. In other cases, re- 
course has been had to scientifically controlled conjecture. 
The Hebrew text is in many places unintelligible, and was 
evidently already corrupted before the ancient versions were 
made. In such cases, present-day scholarship seeks a way out 
by emendation, rigidly controlled by the laws of textual 
criticism. The extent to which change has been necessary in 
the text of the Psalms may be seen by reference to the notes 
at the end of this volume. 

Attention may be called to the treatment given the divine 
name. The Hebrews called their God by the proper name 
“Yahweh.” As the centuries passed, there grew up among 
them the feeling that the name Yahweh was so holy that it 
should never be pronounced. Therefore they substituted the 
Hebrew word for “Lord” for the personal name Yahweh 
whenever it occurred. In later times still, when the vowels 
were first added to the Hebrew consonantal text, they 
actually wrote the consonants of the name Yahweh with the 
vowels of the Hebrew word for “Lord.”” Every Hebrew rabbi 
knew that this meant that he should pronounce the word for 
“Lord” when reading the text, and not the name Yahweh. 
In Christian times, about the thirteenth century, the practice 
grew up in the Church of pronouncing this combination of two 
words in the way that it was written; hence arose a new form, 
“Jehovah,” which was without any linguistic warrant. In 
this translation the usage of the later Hebrews is followed in 
the rendering, namely, “the Lord.” At times, when the orig- 
inal Hebrew text had the phrase “the Lord Yahweh,” the 
translation here runs “the Lord God,” this being the way the 


[vi] 


PREFACE 


AENENEPEEE OEE REL ERED EL EET REOETE ODES EEEETEREEDOREEEROSESUEERETEDECUOROROGDEEEDEEONECHSCOODTNPESDEDOSSLEOTECERUIONENDEROL ED EASESSESERIEPEEEDERSPEOTER DEFOR EGE EDESHERN ESCH TEP ERTRDNEIDEEPETERDENIS EERO SEV ERERESRORRRENEED ERT OO TONS PORE T SHOR 


scribes read it. If any reader wishes to recover for himself the 
feeling of the original in its fulness, all that need be done is to 
substitute ““Yahweh”’ for Lord or God, whenever those words 
are italicized. The rendering “Yahweh” as it was in the 
original Hebrew is not followed here, since it would com- 
pletely ruin the poetic and religious quality of the Psalms for 
many minds. Nobody knows what the original name really 
meant; hence all attempts to translate “Yahweh” are hypo- 
thetical. | 

A brief introduction to the Psalter is appended to the 
translation, in order that the reader may get some orienta- 
tion with reference to the spirit and purpose of the Psalter. 
The hope of the translator is that, through this rendering, a 
new insight may be obtained into the beauties of the world’s 


greatest hymnbook. 
J. M. Powis Smiru 


June 1, 1926 


[ vii ] 


{ 


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ie hey 





is 
2 
3 
4 
5. 
6. 
7: 


8. 


9- 


LT. 
12. 
ie f 
14. 
15. 
16. 
I]. 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 
22. 
23. 
24. 
28. 
26. 
ay. 
28. 


29. 


CONTENTS 
BOOK J 


Hi PROSPERITY OF THE PIOUS vei oe eh wee. 


. A WARNING TO THE NATIONS. . . 2°. ”: 
. An ASSURANCE OF DivinE DELIVERANCE ... . 
PP TIVAIN OT MALT eae a Tee ce er ee ra 


SEAVER TOR ULVINE ID 1 fon a avy od) Ane Re 
A PRAYER FOR RELIEF rRoM'FORS’ 4.0. 2 
WHEtBA SOR VUSTICE) #5 fo. 5 rule ld ssa 
Tue Dicniry or MAN AND THE Grane OF Gon 

10. THe WICKED SHALL BE OvVERTHROWN ... . 
eis COMING | ODGMENT 94 tag hs ANT: (hee tu leamaie alg 
A PLEA FROM THose:-Int Distress, § oe OPN, 
PARA TERUAN (CRITE ia) y tntane: Ohh Licebhisis ba setae 2 
MIEAV INDICATION OF CxOD EN, Kays) \o be Danie. ike 
Pater PIONS OF CODE teh i, oe edie ae eee Peaks 
PERETEUANT) MADER Garcon ca ihe te Occ et ARNO RRA he lS 
POU RAVER FOR VINDICATION: (Th Bay 0 GG: 

A Vicror’s HyMn oF PRAISE. . 2 : 
Gop’s PRAISE IN THE PHYSICAL AND ihe ae 
PAURATER FORSVICTORY 130 SUE NR eis oe ek 

A Hymn or PraIsE AND GRATITUDE. . ... . 
PRY Ob A DRSOLATE SPIRIT) MAR lo ou 
THE Goop SHEPHERD . .. . PARC CLA sD). 
Tue Gory or Gop AND THE Goop Nike Dy eae 
POL RATER FORM DIIVINEIASLP. 6 eC) CUPRA) Ye! 
(aE UCLAIMS OETUR-RIDRTEOUS 6c. 7) 1 Oe i 
BIAGIO F ABSURANCE a) Oe rcs eee bk 
A PRAYER FOR THE PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED. . 
Bere IO OF Tue PORES CA ONE Nab. ie ae, 


30. PRAISE FOR THE HerportTHe Lorp. . ... . 


[ ix ] 


CONTEN TS 


CePeRTEEHerNET PERT OREREDEE PEN EEOUEREDERED EET ELEOUEREEERDEREDERDRELESEDERESEN PATHE THREROONONENENORERUENEDERERTSTERURIDEREREED EONSERSCEDEREDE ITEC ROROOEESED PUETEELINENCEDENIOTIN IDO RH STDIN HS ETENHETTTNNnTi Oren OnETISoeoeTEENTEONTTENereTE TNT OTIHOOD HRT RERTRERETRDNTOTE DE TNOT ON ERTETEERGETORT 


31. MINGLED PRAYER AND PRAISE. 
32. THe Biessep Lot or THE Pious . 
33. THE Lorp oF ALL CREATION . 
34. THE Goopness or Gop 

35. A PRavER FOR VENGEANCE 


36. THE GoopNEss OF GOD AND THE ai OF THE Wiceee 


37. Gop’s CaRE FOR THE Pious 4 
38. A Prayer or ONE IN GREAT Teotate 


39. A Prea ror Mercy Towarp A Man oF eeree 


EXISTENCE 


40. A PRAYER FOR seta Reve FROM us, 


41. A PRAYER FoR VENGEANCE 


BOOK II 


42-43. A Sonc or ASSURANCE : 
44. An APPEAL TO THE JUSTICE OF Gop . 
45. A Royat MarriacE Sone 

46. THE Micuty Gop . 

47. THE Victorious Gop . 

48. Tue Farrurut Gop 

49. THE Ewnp or Att FLEsu 

go. THe Essence or WorsHIP 

$1. THe PLea or A PENITENT . 

§2. Tue Fate or THE WICKED 

53. Tue VinpicaTion or Gop. 

§4. [HE TRIUMPH OF THE Pious : 
55. A Protest To Gop AGAINST THE WICKED 
§6. THe ALt-Surricient Gop . 

$7. Trust In THE Mipst or TROUBLES 

$8. Tue WickED AnD THEIR DESTRUCTION . 


$9. A PRAYER FoR RESCUE FROM THE WICKED . 


60. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE . 
61. A PRAYER OF ASSURANCE . 
62. An UNSHAKEN FalrH 


[x] 


CONTENTS 


HVOLEDIONSITANOEDENELEODOLINEDOOODOLELENEOEUVORDOLIGLOSYUSSSDODUDUTASENSSUSESONORDOGDIOEGNOUSESSUSSG HOUDEDOODOGOEULOUELDEROEDLOOODENUCUCONUUSEBOGDOGOENSUTSLGSSUSESIOSONONLGOCERDNODOOYNONIEDONSE I NDRDEDEAIEOCLONLONSORREEAESEDEANAN DON OLSESLLOESOORANEELOLDSnNOsENIOLSOSNINDEIOSSONED 


. FairH AND FELLOWSHIP St LAAT Wee NK hes 
. THe Ways oF THE WICKED AND THE Way oF Gop. 
. THE Gop or THE UNIVERSE 

. A Hymn or GRATITUDE 

. A Prayer For Gop’s BLEssING 

. THe Micut anpD GLory oF Gop . 

. An Imprecatrory PsaLtm : 

. A PRAYER FOR THE HELP or Gop 

. A PRAYER FOR AID AGAINST THE FOE 
THUONG LIVE THE FOTN 7 eh ey ck dee 


BOOK III 


. FELLOWSHIP wiTH Gop. ; 

. An APPEAL TO GoD AGAINST VANDALS 

. Gop As JUDGE 

. THE TERRIBLE ONE 

. [THe Micury Gop . 

. A Rexicious BaLtiap 

. A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 

. A PRAYER FOR RESTORATION . 

. An APPEAL TO EXPERIENCE 

. A Homiry ror “Divine”? Ruvers f 
. A PRAYER FOR THE OVERTHROW OF NATIONS 
. THE Joy or THE GoDLy 

. A PLEA ror Gop’s Parpon 

. A PLEA ror Gop’s HELP 

. ZION GLORIES IN HER CHILDREN . 

. LAMENTATION OF ONE IN TROUBLE 

. THE Sorrows oF JUDAH 


BOOK IV 


. A PLEA ror Gop’s MErRcy yas 
. THE Favor or Gob UPON THE FAITHFUL 
. A Hymn or GRATITUDE 


[ xi] 


93- 
94- 
95: 


TE, 
II4. 
nes 
116. 
117. 
118. 
19. 
120. 
121. 
122. 
123. 
124. 
126. 


CONTENTS 


Tue RuLER OF THE UNIVERSE > 
DESTRUCTION TO THE WICKED! 
A PAEAN OF PRAISE . . 


. THe Gtoryor Gop . . 


THE Majesty orGop. . . 
ASoncor TRIuMPH .. . 


. THe Hoty Gop SOREL ee 
DHE FAITHFUL. GOD) deh toa 


Tue Mora Cope of A KING. 
Tue EversLASTING Gop . . 
THE GoopNESs OF GoD... 


THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF THE UNIVERSE 


THe WonpeErRsS or Gop 


. THE Lonc-SUFFERING Gop ., 


BOOK V 
GODUN HISTORY din see 
A PRAYER FoR Gop’s HEtp  . 
A MALeEDIcTION 


A Promise or Gop’s AIp To THE KING 


Tue WonvERFUL Works or Gop 


Tue LororTHe Pious . . 
Tue Generous DEEDs or Gop 
THe WonpDERS OF THE Exopus 
GoD ANDTHE IpDoLs . . 

A SonG or THANKSGIVING. 

A SuHovut oF PRAISE . 


EVERLASTING GRACE .. . 
THe LAworTHE Lorp . . 
A WarninG To Liars .. . 


THE GUARDIAN Gop 
A PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM. . 


A’SonG-OF SIGHS 4 Jie 
ASonGc OF GRATITUDE. . . 
UNSHAKABLE FAITH ... . 


e 


e 


CONTENTS 


eee UEANAEUAANEUUEDEEEEEEREEREREAUONTEDOOREREREAEUEDESEN DONA DAORERSEFURAASENDASON IAN CMEEEREEENNAHOGOGASOUOGSDOPEDEREEDESOON LADESEEREAAUASHUAUEDOSGNEEDASORANSAGTOADEOADESSEEOORSSANGODGADONDOADSNASEZURALANANGHODELAISASEDANASASNAOGNOULEOSEOSESRERESARSERSASNOHORAO ORES SEREERASOROROAONOOOOORE 


126. SHoutsoFJoy. .. . 
127. THE SustTaininG Gop. . . 
128. THe Truty Happy Man sis fe 
129. THE FLeetinc Fortune or THE WICKED 
PPR LIES E POP IFAIS cn uid) Lal! SoS 
eee DATION T oAINT (hse) 
132. THE ANCIENT PRoMISE Aa te 
133. ZION’S PERPETUAL BLESSING . . . 
laa A OALL TO; WORSHIP) Uo 
MeaTTIVOONG OF E RAISE OF. (ol... 
07 Tum Grace or, God 1)... 
137. REVENGE UPON IsraEL’s Fors. 
Pee RLU EGP ORGOD Co ee i) ie 
139. [HE OMNIPRESENT AND OmNISCIENT Gop 
140. A PRAYER FOR VINDICATION . . 
141. A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION 

142. A PRAYER FOR SAFETY FROM Foes 
143. A Prayer FoR DELIVERANCE. . 


s ~ 


144. a) A Prayer For DivinE REINFORCEMENTS 


144. 5) AConTENTED PEOPLE. .. . 
145. AN ALPHABETIC DoxoLocy . . . 
146. THE PraIsEwoRTHY GoD... . 
147. THE Works or GODALMIGHTY . . . 


746. AHIALLELUJAH CHORUS . . . «46 
149. PRAISE TO THE CONQUERING GoD. . 
1s0. THE Crosinc DoxoLocy . . .. . 
APPENDIX A 
Tela DATE OF THE PSALTER 0) 0 
Il. THE HyMNnBook OF THE SECOND TEMPLE 
III. THe Poetry oF THE PSALTER BAA Oo 
IV. Tue RELIGION OF THE PSALTER .. . 
APPENDIX B 


TeExTUAL NoTes .. . 


[ xiii 


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BOOK I 
PSS. 1-41 





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I 
THE PROSPERITY OF THE PIOUS 


OW happy is the man who has not walked in the 
counsel of the wicked, 
Nor stood in the way of sinners, 
Nor sat in the seat of scoffers! 
But his delight is in the law of the Lord, 
And in his law does he study day and night. 
For he is like a tree planted by streams of water, 
That yields its fruit in its season, 
And its leaf does not wither; 
And whatsoever he does he brings to success. 


wb 


Ww 


4 The wicked are not so; 
But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, 
Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous; 
But the way of the wicked will perish. 


2 
A WARNING TO THE NATIONS 


HEREFORE do the nations rage, 
And the peoples plot in vain? 
2 The kings of the earth stand up, 
And the princes also take counsel, 
Against the Lord and against his anointed: 
3“‘Let us burst their bonds asunder, 
And cast their cords from us.” 
4 He that sits in the heavens laughs; 
The Lord makes sport of them. 


La" 


THE PSALMS 
5 Then will he speak to them in his wrath, 
And terrify them in his fury: 
6“I, indeed, have anointed my king, 
On Zion, my holy hill.” 


> Let me tell of the decree of the Lord: 
He said to me, “You are my son; 
Today have I begotten you. 
8 Ask of me, and J will make the nations your inheritance, 
And the ends of the earth your possession. 
g You shall break them with an iron rod; 
You shall smash them like a potter’s vessel.” 


10 Be cautious, therefore, O kings; 
Take warning, O rulers of the earth. 
11 Serve the Lord with fear, 
And rejoice with trembling; 
12 Kiss his feet with trepidation, lest he be angry and 
you perish in the way; 
For his wrath is soon kindled. 
How happy are they who take refuge in him! 


3 
AN ASSURANCE OF DIVINE 
DELIVERANCE 


[A PSALM OF DAVID WHEN HE FLED FROM 
BEFORE HIS SON ABSALOM] 


OW many are my foes, O Lord! 
Many are rising up against me. 
2 Many are saying concerning me: 


“There is no help for him in God.” Selah 
L 4] 


A HYMN OF FAITH 
3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield about me, 
My glory, and the one who raises my head. 
4 I cry aloud to the Lord, 
And he answers me from his holy hill. Selah 


5 I lay me down and sleep; 
I awake, for the Lord sustains me. 

6 I am not afraid of the myriads of people 
That have set upon me round about. 


7 Arise, O Lord; deliver me, O my God. 
Verily, thou wilt smite all my foes upon the cheek; 
Thou wilt break the teeth of the wicked. 

8 Salvation belongs unto the Lord. 
Upon thy people be thy blessing! Selah 


4 
A HYMN OF FAITH 


[TO THE DIRECTOR: WITH HARPS. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 
HEN I call, answer me, O God of my righteous- 
ness, 
Thou who didst give me room when I was in distress; 
Be gracious unto me and hear my prayer. 
2 O sons of men, how long is my glory to be a shame, 
While you love a thing of nought 
And seek after lies? Selah 


3 But know that the Lord has set apart the pious for 
himself. 
The Lord will hear when I cry unto him. 
4 Tremble, and do not sin. 


[5] 


THE PSALMS 
Commune with your own hearts upon your bed and 


be still. Selah 


5 Offer righteous sacrifices, 
And trust in the Lord. 
6 There are many who say, “Oh, that we might see some 
good!” 
Lift up upon us the light of thy countenance, O Lord. 
7 Thou hast put joy in my heart, 
More than in the time that their corn and new wine 
increase. 
8 In peace will I both lay me down and sleep; 
For thou, O Zord, alone makest me dwell in safety. 


5 
A PRAYER FOR DIVINE AID 


[TO THE DIRECTOR: FOR THE FLUTES. A PSALM 
OF DAVID] 


IVE ear to my words, O Lord; 
Attend to my sighing. 
2 Give heed to the sound of my cry, 
My king and my God; 
For unto thee do I pray, O Lord. 
3 In the morning thou wilt hear my voice; 
In the morning I will lay it before thee and wait. 


4 For thou art not a God that takes pleasure in wicked- 
ness; 
Nor may evil dwell with thee. 
5 The boastful may not stand before thine eyes. 
Thou hatest all that do wrong. 
6 Thou destroyest those who tell lies. 
The Lord abhors the bloody and deceitful man. 


[6] 


A PRAYER FOR RELIEF FROM FOES 
7 But I shall enter thy house by thine abundant loving- 
kindness; 
I shall bow down toward thy holy temple in awe of thee. 
8 O Lord, lead me in thy righteousness, because of my 
enemies; 
Make thy way straight before me. 
9 For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth, their 
heart is treacherous. 
Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongue 
they flatter. 


10 Condemn them, O God, that they may fall by their own 
devices; 
Because of their many transgressions cast them out 
because they have rebelled against thee; 
11 That all who take refuge in thee may rejoice and shout 
for joy forever; 
And do thou protect them, that those who love thy 
name may exult in thee. 
12 For thou dost bless the righteous, O Lord; 
Thou dost surround him with favor as with a shield. 


6 
A PRAYER FOR RELIEF FROM FOES 


[TO THE DIRECTOR: WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS; 
ACCORDING TO THE sheminith. A PSALM 
OF DAVID] 


HIDE me not in thine anger, O Lord, 
Neither chasten me in thy wrath. 
2 Pity me, O Lord, for I am faint; 
Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are shaken, 


[7] 


THE PSALMS 


DTT el 


3 And my being is sore shaken. 
And thou, O Lord—how long? 


4 Return, O Lord, and deliver me, 
Save me because of thy loving-kindness. 
s For in death there is no remembrance of thee. 
In Sheol who praises thee? 
6 I am worn out with my moaning; 
Every night I flood my bed with tears. 
With my weeping I water my couch. 
7 My eye is dimmed because of trouble, 
It grows old because of all my foes. 


8 Depart from me, all evildoers; 
For the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 
g The Lord has heard my entreaty; 
The Lord receives my prayer. 
10 All my foes will be ashamed and sore terrified; 
They will turn back; they will be suddenly ashamed. 


7 
A PLEA FOR JUSTICE 


[A shiggaion OF DAVID WHICH HE SANG TO THE 
Lord CONCERNING CUSH, A BENJAMITE] 


HAVE taken shelter in thee, O Lord, my God. 
Save me from all who pursue me, and deliver me; 
2 Lest like a lion they tear me, 
Dragging me away, with none to rescue. 
3 O Lord, my God, if I have done this, 
If there is guilt on my hands, 
4 If I have requited evil to my friend, 
Or plundered him that was my enemy without cause, 


[8] 


A PLEA FOR FUSTICE 
5 May the enemy pursue me, 
And overtake, and trample my life to the earth; 
May he lay my honor in the dust. Selah 


6 Arise, O Lord, in thine anger, 
Lift up thyself in wrath against my foes, 
And rise up for me to the judgment thou hast ap- 
pointed. 
7 And surround thyself with the assembly of the peoples, 
And return thou thereon to the heights. 
8 The Lord judges the peoples: do me justice, O Lord, 


In accordance with my righteousness and my integrity. 


g May the evil of the wicked come to an end, and estab- 
lish thou the righteous. 
He who tries heart and mind is the righteous God. 
10 My shield is upon God, 
Who saves the upright in heart. 
11 God is a just judge, 
And a God who is angry daily. 


12 Certainly he will again whet his sword; 
He has bent his bow and aimed it. 
13 And he has got ready his deadly weapons; 
His arrows he turns into fiery shafts. 
14 Behold, he conceives wrong, 
And he is pregnant with mischief and brings forth lies. 
15 He digs and excavates a pit; 
But falls into the hole that he makes. 
16 His mischief recoils upon his own head; 
And upon his own pate his villainy descends. 


17 I will praise the Lord for his righteousness, 
And sing praises to the name of the Lord most high. 


[9] 


THE PSALMS 


 LERSETD CR AAL ERTIES | 
Urea yeeee enn ren sumesns cre ne me Urea a te enenneEEs (2008 LY LEVEN ATRLOUTUED©OUtU +N CES FEETISEARURE EOUERSTEEBUETULD TLERTLEEDERSTDEUSE TE ETP EAY EE LALEEUED EULA TETSELE LEE LEUACEA CREATORS EPULETRG RE TOC ES CHEESE eae 


8 


THE DIGNITY OF MAN AND THE 
GLORY OF GOD 


[TO THE DIRECTOR: UPON gittith. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 


Lord, our Lord, 
How glorious is thy name in all the earth! 
I will sing thy praise to the heavens, 
2 From the mouths of babes and infants. 
Thou hast established strength because of thine en- 
emies, 
To still the enemy and the revengeful. 


3 When I see thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, 
The moon and the stars which thou hast formed; 

4 What is man that thou shouldst think of him, 
And the son of man that thou shouldst care for him? 


5 Yet thou hast made him but little lower than God, 
And dost crown him with glory and honor! 

6 Thou makest him ruler over the works of thy hands, 
Thou has put all things under his feet; 


7 All sheep and oxen, 
And also the beasts of the field; 

8 The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, 
That traverse the paths of the seas. 


9g O Lord, our Lord, 
How glorious is thy name in all the earth. 


[ 10 ] 


THE WICKED SHALL BE OVERTHROWN 


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9 
THE WICKED SHALL BE OVERTHROWN 


[TO THE DIRECTOR: UPON muth-labben. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 
SS 
WILL praise the Zord with all my heart; 
I will tell of all thy wonders. 
2 I will rejoice and exult in thee, 
I will praise thy name, O most High; 


a 
3 Because my enemies turn back, 
They stumble and perish from before thee. 
4 For thou hast maintained my just cause; 
Thou hast sat upon the throne giving righteous judg- 


ment. 
a 
s Thou hast rebuked the nations, thou hast destroyed the 
wicked, 


Their name thou hast blotted out forever and ever. 
6 The foe—they are destroyed; 
Perpetual ruins are the cities which thou hast rooted 
up; 
Their memory has perisned. 
ra 
7 Behold the Lord abides forever. 
He has established his throne for judgment. 
8 And he judges the world in righteousness; 
He passes sentence on peoples with equity. 
4 
g And the Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, 
A stronghold in times of need. 


[11] 


THE PSALMS 
1o And those who know thy name trust in thee, 
For thou hast not forsaken those who seek thee, O Lord. 


' 

11 Chant praises to the Lord who dwells in Zion; 
Make known among the peoples his deeds! 

12 For as avenger of blood he has remembered them; 
He has not forgotten the cry of the poor. 


13 Have pity on me, O Lord; see my trouble from those 
who hate me, 
O thou my deliverer from the gates of death, 
14 That I may recount all thy praises, 
That in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice 
in thy deliverance. 


[2 
15 The nations are plunged into the pit which they have 
made; 
Their foot is caught in the net which they have 
hidden. 


16 The Lord is made known; he has executed judgment. 


In his own handwork the wicked is snared. 
Higgaion. Selah 


» 


17 The wicked will return to Sheol, 
All the nations that forget God. 


a 
18 For the poor will not be always forgotten, 
Nor will the hope of the meek perish forever. 
19 Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail; 
Let the nations be judged in thy presence. 
20 Put them in terror, O Lord, 
That the nations may know they are but men. Selah 


[12] 


THE WICKED SHALL BE OV ERTHROWN 


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10:1 Why dost thou stand afar off, O Lord, 
And hide thyself in times of need? 
2 The wicked in his arrogance consumes the poor. 
May they be caught in the schemes which they have 
devised! 


3 The wicked sings the praises of his own desires, 
And the robber curses, and rejects God; 

4 The wicked in the pride of his countenance does not 

seek him; 

All his thought 1s, “There is no God.” 

5 His ways prosper at all times. 
Thy judgments are on high, far from him. 
He quells all his foes. 

6 He says to himself, “I shall not be moved; 
From one generation to another my steps will not be 

in distress.” 

7 His mouth is filled with curses and deceit and violence. 
Mischief and wrong are under his tongue. 

8 He sits in the lurking-places of villages; 
In hiding-places he murders the innocent. 
His eyes lie in wait for the unfortunate. 

g He lurks in secret like a lion in a thicket; 
He robs the weak when he draws him into his net. 

1o And he bends over, he crouches; 
And the unfortunate fall by his mighty men. 
11 He says to himself, “God has forgotten; 

He has hidden his face; he will never see it.”’ 


P 
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thy hand. 
Do not forget the poor. 


[13] 


13 Why has the wicked despised God, 


And said to himself, “Thou wilt not search out?” 


- 
14 Thou seest; for thou dost look upon trouble and vexa- 
tion, 
To give them into thy power. 
The unfortunate leaves himself to thee; 
Thou hast been a helper to the fatherless. 


w 
tc Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evildoer, 
Let his wickedness be sought and not found. 
16 The Lord is king forever and ever. 
The nations will perish from his land. 


mn 


17 Thou hast heard the desire of the meek, O Lord, 
Thou dost set thy mind, thou dost pay close heed, 
18 So as to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, 
That man who 1s of the earth may never again strike 
terror. 


II 
THE COMING JUDGMENT 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF DAVID] 


HAVE taken refuge in the Lord; 
How then do you say to me: 
Flee like a bird to your mountain?” 


2 For, lo, the wicked bend the bow, 
They fit their arrow to the string, 
To shoot in the dark at the upright in heart. 


[14] 


A PLEA FROM THOSE IN DISTRESS 
3 When the foundations are torn down, 
What has the righteous done? 


4 The Lord is in his holy temple, 
The Lord, whose throne is in the heavens; 
His eyes behold, his eyelids test the sons of men. 


5 The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked, 
And he hates the lover of violence. 
6 On the wicked he will rain coals of fire; 
Brimstone and scorching wind will be the portion of 
their cup. 


7 For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteousness, 
The upright will behold his face. 


12 
A PLEA FROM THOSE IN DISTRESS 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON THE sheminith. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 


AVE, Lord, for the pious cease to be, 
For the faithful disappear from the sons of men. 

2 They speak lies each with his neighbor; 

With slippery lip and double heart they speak. 
3 May the Lord cut off all slippery lips, 

And the tongue that speaks big words; 
4 Those who say, “We will make ourselves great by our 

tongue, 
Our lips are with us; who is our master?” 


5““Because the poor are exploited, because the needy 
groan, 


[15] 


THE PSALMS 
I will now arise,” says the Lord; 
“T will place him in the safety for which he longs.” 
6 The words of the Lord are pure words, 


Silver refined in a furnace on the ground, 
Purified sevenfold. 


7 Do thou protect us, O Lord; 
Guard us from this generation forever. 
8 The wicked parade around, 
When baseness is exalted among the sons of men. 


13 
A PRAYER IN FAITH 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


OW long, O Lord—wilt thou continually forget 
me? 
How long wilt thou hide thy face from me? 
2 How long am I to lay cares upon myself, 
And trouble in my heart daily? 
How long shall my enemy triumph over me? 


3 Look upon me and answer me, O Lord, my God. 
Lighten my eyes, lest I sleep in death; 

4 Lest my enemy say, “I have overcome him,” 
And my foes exult because I am shaken. 


5 But I have trusted in thy grace; 
My heart shall rejoice in thy deliverance. 
{ will sing unto the Lord, 
Because he has treated me kindly. 


[ 16 ] 


THE VINDICATION OF GOD 


14 
THE VINDICATION OF GOD 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF DAVID] 


HE fool said in his heart, ““There is no God.” 
They acted basely, they did abominable things. 
There was none that did good. 


2 The Lord looked forth from the heavens upon the chil- 
dren of men, 
To see if there were any that acted wisely, 


That sought after God. 


3 They had all gone astray and they had also done 
wrong. 
There was none that did good, 
No, not even one. 


4 Do they know nothing, all the evildoers 
Who eat up my people as they eat bread, 
But do not call upon the Lord? 


5 Then were they in great terror; 
For God was with the righteous generation. 

6 You would put to shame the plans of the poor; 
‘But the Lord 1s his refuge. 


7 Oh, that the deliverance of Israel would come from 
Zion! 
When the Lord turns the captivity of his people, 
Jacob shall exult; Israel shall rejoice. 


og 


THE PSALMS 


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5 
THE FRIEND OF GOD 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


K 7 HO may sojourn in thy pavilion, O Lord? 
Who may dwell upon thy holy hill? 

2‘‘He who walks blamelessly, and does right, 

And speaks truth from his heart. 
3 He is not hasty with his tongue. 

He does no wrong to his fellows; 

Nor does he take blame upon himself because of his 

neighbor. 

4 In his eyes a bad man is despised; 

But he honors those who fear the Lord. 

He swears to his own hurt and does not retract. 
5 He does not put out his money on interest, 

Nor take a bribe against the innocent. 

He who does such things will never be moved.” 


16 
FAITH AND HOPE 


[A mtktam OF DAVID] 


RESERVE me, O God, for I have sought refuge in 
thee. 
2 I have said to the Lord, ‘‘O Lord, thou art my welfare; 
There is none besides thee.” 
3 As to the gods who are in the land 
And the lofty ones, I have no pleasure in them. 
4 Their images are many; cthers praise them; 
But I will not pour out their libations of blood, 
Nor will I take their names upon my lips. 


[ 18 ] 


A PRAYER FOR VINDICATION 
5 The Lord is my portion, my share, and my cup. 
Thou holdest my lot. 
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 
My inheritance indeed pleases me. 
7 I will bless the Lord who has counseled me; 
In the night also my thoughts instruct me. 
I have kept the Lord continually before me. 
For, with him at my right, I shall not be moved. 


Oo 


oe) 


9 Therefore my heart is glad and my honor rejoices; 
My flesh also dwells in security; 
10 For thou wilt not abandon me to Sheol; 
Thou wilt not let thy pious one see the pit. 
Thou wilt show me the path of life. 
Fulness of joy is in thy presence; 
Pleasures are always in thy right hand. 


_~ 
_ 


17 
A PRAYER FOR VINDICATION 


[A PRAYER OF DAVID] 


EAR the right, O Lord; 
Give heed to my cry; 
Listen to my prayer, 
Which is not from deceitful lips. 
From before thee may my judgment proceed; 
May thine eyes see the right. 


v 


3 Thou hast tried my heart; thou hast visited me by 
night; 
Thou has purified me by fire; 
Thou dost not find iniquity in me; 
My mouth does not transgress. 


[19] 


SENERFENCEErereeceeenene 


4 


ON 


lee) 


THE PSALMS 


HUEUSRENANDYEVEREREDOFYRRENSNEDORODEUCUTOTECUEEDEFSPEEDEREEACURETENOOUHUO PD ICEDEFERDFEHERPREAWEAONERESOUANOOUTSRDSUORPTAENENELEROUNGERUDEOSUDORONDEDERECEDENEOONDNTON NY NOH OYOYTORERCETINTIVERPNTECERERFEDENENEVENEUTNTHTERNELAURNTTTNTNISTRERREEEONEEYIOTERIT ORE ERTETERE 


According to the deeds of man, through the word from 
thy lips, 

I have kept the prescribed ways. 

My steps have held fast to thy tracks; 

My footsteps have not faltered. 


I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God. 

Incline thine ear to me; hear my speech. 

Show the wonders of thy mercy, O savior of those who 
seek shelter 

From their adversaries at thy right hand. 

Protect me like the pupil, the daughter of the eye; 

Hide me in the shadow of thy wings, 

From the wicked who despoil me, 

My deadly enemies who surround me. 


They have closed their hearts; 

With their mouths they speak in pride. 

I see them: they have now encompassed me; 
They set their eyes to cast me to the ground. 
He is like a lion that 1s eager for prey, 

And a young lion that lurks in ambush. 


Arise, O Lord, confront him, bring him low. 
Deliver me from the wicked by thy sword, 
From men by thy hand, O Lord, 

From men whose portion in life is fatness; 
And their belly is filled with thy treasures; 
Their children are satiated; 

And they leave the rest for their babes. 
But I in justification shall behold thy face; 
I shall be satisfied when thy form awakes. 


[ 20 ] 


A VICTOR’S HYMN OF PRAISE 


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18 
A VICTOR’S HYMN OF PRAISE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SERVANT OF THE Lord, 
DAVID, WHO ADDRESSED THE WORDS OF THIS 
SONG TO THE Lord, IN THE DAY THAT THE Lord 
RESCUED HIM FROM THE HAND OF ALL HIS FOES 
AND FROM THE HAND OF SAUL, AND HE SAID:;] 


LOVE thee, O Lord, my strength! 
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer; 
My God, my rock in whom I take refuge; 
My shield, and the horn of my deliverance, my tower. 
3 “The praiseworthy one” do I call the Lord; 
For from my enemies I was delivered. 
4 Waves of death encompassed me, 
Streams of ruin appalled me. 
5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me, 
Snares of death confronted me. 


6 In my need I called upon the Lord, 
And unto my God I cried for help; 

7 He heard my voice from his palace, 
And my cry unto him entered his ears. 


8 Then the earth quaked and rocked, 
And the foundations of the hills trembled 
And rocked, when he was angry. 
g Smoke ascended from his nostrils, 
And fire from his mouth devoured; 
Coals were kindled therefrom. 


1o And he bowed the heavens and came down, 
Black clouds were under his feet. 


[21] 


THE PSALMS 
11 He rode upon a cherub and flew, 


And he glided along on the wings of the wind. 


12 He made darkness his covert; 
Round about him as his pavilion was the darkness of 
the heavens, 
Thick clouds without brightness; 
13 Before him passed his thick clouds, 
Hailstones, and coals of fire, - 
14 And the Lord thundered from the heavens, 
The Most High uttered his voice; 


Hailstones and coals of fire. 


15 He sent forth his arrows and scattered them; 
Lightnings he hurled and routed them. 

16 And the bed of the sea was seen, 
And the foundations of the world were uncovered 
At thy rebuke, O Lord, 
At the fierce breath of thy wrath. 

17 He sent from on high, he took me, 
He drew me out of many waters; 

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, 
And from those who hated me; for they were too 

strong for me. 


19 They confronted me in the day of my misfortune, 
But the Lord became my stay. 
20 And he led me forth into a broad place; 
He set me free, for he was pleased with me. 
21 The Lord treated me in accordance with my righteous- 
ness; 
In accordance with the cleanness of my hands he 
requited me. 


[ 22 ] 


_4 VICTOR'S HYMN OF PRAISE 
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, 
And have not transgressed against my God. 
23 For all his judgments are before me, 
And his decrees I do not put away from me. 
24 And I was blameless toward him, 
And guarded myself from my guilt. 


25 So the Lord requited me in accordance with my right- 
eousness, 
And according to the cleanness of my hands in his 


sight. 


26 Toward the pious thou dost act piously; 
Toward the blameless man thou dost act blame- 
lessly; 
27 Toward the pure thou dost act purely; 
And toward the crooked thou dost act craftily. 


28 For thou wilt deliver an humble people, 
But haughty eyes thou wilt bring low. 

29 For thou dost light my lamp, O Lord, 
My God lightens my darkness. 

30 For through thee I break down a rampart, 
And through my God I leap over a wall. 


31 The way of God is blameless, 

The speech of the Lord is sincere; 

A shield is he to all who take refuge in him. 
32 For who is God but the Lord? 


And who is a rock save our God? 


33 The God who girds me with might, 
And makes my way blameless, 


123] 


THE PSALMS 
34 Making my feet like hinds’ feet, 
And making me stand securely on my heights; 
35 The one who trains my hands for battle, 
So that my arms bend a bow of bronze. 
36 And thou dost give me thy saving shield, 
And thy right hand supports me; 
And thy help makes me great. 
37 Thou dost make broad my steps under me, 
And my ankles do not give way. 


38 I pursue my foes and overtake them, 
And do not turn back until they are destroyed. 
39 I smite them so that they are unable to stand, 
Beneath my feet they fall. 


40 And thou dost gird me with strength for the battle, 
Thou dost bow down my opponents under me; 

41 And thou dost make my enemies show me the back; 
And those that hate me I destroy. 


42 They cry for help, but there is none to deliver; 
To the Lord, but he does not answer them. 
43 And I crumble them, like dust before the wind; 
I crush them like the dirt of the streets. 
44 And thou dost rescue me from the feuds of the 
people; 
Thou dost establish me as head of the nations; 
People that I have not known serve me; 
45 As soon as they hear of me they submit themselves to 
me; 
Foreigners fawn upon me, 
46 Foreigners fade away, 
And come forth trembling from their forts. 


[ 24 ] 


GOD’S PRAISE IN THE UNIVERSE 

47 All hail to the Lord! And blessed be my Rock! 

And may the God of my deliverance be exalted! 
48 The God who gives me vengeance, 

And puts peoples in subjection under me; 
49 Who frees me from my foes. 

And thou dost exalt me above my adversaries; 

From violent men thou dost rescue me. 


50 Therefore I shall praise thee among the nations, O Lord, 
And sing praises to thy name; 

51 To him who gives great victories to his king, 
And shows mercy to his anointed, 
To David and his seed forever. 


19 
GOD’S PRAISE IN THE PHYSICAL AND 
MORAL UNIVERSE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


HE heavens are telling the glory of God, 
And the sky shows forth the work of his hands. 
2 Day unto day pours forth speech, 
And night unto night declares knowledge. 


3 There is no speech, nor are there words; 
Their voice is not heard; 

4 Yet their voice goes forth through all the earth, 
And their words to the ends of the world. 


5 He is like a bridegroom coming forth from his chamber, 
And rejoices like a strong man to run the course; 


[25 ] 


THE PSALMS 
6 From one end of the heavens is his starting-point, 
And his circuit is to the other end; 
And nothing is hid from the heat thereof. 


The law of the Lord is perfect, 
renewing the life, 
The testimony of the Zord is trustworthy, 
making wise the simple, 
The precepts of the Lord are right, 
rejoicing the heart, 
The commandment of the Lord is pure, 
enlightening the eyes; 
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, 
enduring forever. 
The judgments of the Lord are true, 
and they are also right; 
10 They are more valuable than gold, 
and much fine gold; 
And sweeter than honey, 
and the droppings of the honeycomb. 


~J 


oO 


11 Thy servant also is instructed by them, 
In keeping them there is great reward. 
12 Who can discern his errors? 
Of unconscious ones, hold me guiltless! 
13 Moreover, restrain thy servant from wilful ones, 
May they not rule over me! 
Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be acquitted of 
much transgression. 
14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of 
my heart 
Be acceptable before thee, 
O Lord, my rock and my avenger! 


[ 26 ] 


epeery repnenrerensr ne 


A PRAYER FOR VICTORY 


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20 


A PRAYER FOR VICTORY 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


HE Lord answer you in the day of trouble! 
The name of the God of Jacob set you on high! 
2 May he send you help from the holy place, 
And give you support from Zion! 
3 May he keep in mind all your gifts, 
And your burnt-offerings may he accept. Selah 


4 May he grant you your heart’s desire, 
And fulfil all your plans! 

5 May we shout with joy over your victory, 
And in the name of our God set up our standards! 
May the Lord fulfil all your requests! 


6 Now I know that the Lord will give victory to his 
anointed, 
That he will answer him from his holy heavens, 
Through the saving strength of his right hand. 
7 Some are strong through chariots and some through 
horses, 
But we, through the name of the Lord, our God. 
8 They will bow down and fall; 
But we shall arise and stand upright. 
9 O Lord, give the king victory; 


Do thou answer us when we call. 


[ 27 ] 


THE PSALMS 


WAHUNENEH OEE DNOHTETENEENECENONDOLEONNENED UO FRPERETTOREERESREREREDO RTEOEEOOOOENOERTATAESEANOHERTHMERTORUEOT SOOT ESEELEORERGUNEREDACNOENVINUGHTEN ORE FECELELRDESETEVEELTHOLEREREDERSEDESNEHONONAE TON TOTINREYNERTENENCHOROHURIDETEERERESEREDOOENTHORERTAETERSED OEDErTaN rrETnEEETPEHEESNRtENY rN HERE 


21 
A HYMN OF PRAISE AND GRATITUDE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


N THY strength, the king rejoices, O Lord; 
And in thy victory, how greatly he exults! 
2 Thou hast given him the desire of his heart; 
And the petition of his lips thou hast not withheld. Selah 


3 For thou dost send goodly blessings to meet him, 
Thou dost place upon his head a crown of gold. 

4 He asked life of thee—thou hast given it to him, 
Long life, forever and ever. 


5 His glory is great through thy help; 
Praise and honor thou layest upon him. 
6 Thou dost make him blessed forever; 
Thou dost gladden him with joy in thy presence. 


7 For the king trusts in the Lord; 
And, through the goodness of the Most High, he will 


never be moved. 


8 Your hand will find all your foes. 

Your right hand will find those that hate you. 
g You will put them in an oven of fire, 

When you show your face. 


10 The Lord in his anger will destroy them, 
And fire will consume them. 

11 Their offspring you will destroy from the earth, 
And their progeny from among the sons of men. 


12 When they plan evil against you, 
And devise malice, they shall not succeed. 


[ 28 | 


THE CRY OF A DESOLATE SPIRIT 


ANUADNED DU NOAREEEAEBENSD OMSL OHON EASLEY 





PPE DEHEREED! baneenneseesensnnese nese LAN Ae SeNAUNED NOUN RUDD ARERTRES DON NON CORES EERREABAAEEDOREE 


13 You will make them turn their backs with your bow- 
strings, 
You will aim at their faces. 


14 Arise, O Lord, in thy strength, 
That we may sing and play of thy power. 


22 
THE CRY OF A DESOLATE SPIRIT 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON Aizeleth hash-Shahar. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 


Y GOD, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
And why art thou far from helping me, at the 
words of my wailing? 
2 My God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; 
And by night, and get no rest. 


3 Yet thou art holy; 
The praise of Israel will endure. 
4 In thee our fathers trusted; 
They trusted and thou didst deliver them. 
5 Unto thee they cried and were set free; 
In thee they trusted and were not disgraced. 


6 But I am a worm and not a man, 

A shame to mankind, and despised of the people. 
7 All who see me make sport of me; 

They make mouths at me and toss their heads: 
8“Let him rejoice in the Lord; let him deliver him; 

Let him rescue him; for he is pleased with him.” 


[ 29 ] 


THE PSALMS 
9 Yet thou hast been my refuge from the womb; 

Thou didst give me security on my mother’s breast. 
10 Upon thee was I cast from birth; 

From my mother’s womb thou hast been my God. 
11 Do not stay far from me; 

For trouble is near; 

For there is none to help. 


12 Strong bulls surround me; 
Mighty ones of Bashan encircle me. 
13 They open wide their mouths at me, 
Like a ravening and roaring lion. 


14 I am poured out like water, 
And all my bones are disjointed. 
My heart is like wax, 
Melted in the midst of my bosom. 


15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, 
And my tongue cleaves to my palate; 
And thou dost lay me in the dust of death. 
16 For dogs have surrounded me, 
A gang of villains encircles me. 


They have bound my hands and my feet. 


17 They dislocate all my bones; 
They look, they stare at me. 

18 They distribute my garments among them, 
And over my robe they cast lots. 


19 But, thou, O Lord, be not far off; 
O my strength, hasten to my aid. 
20 Deliver my life from the sword, 
My only one from the power of the dog. 


[ 30 ] 


THE CRY OF A DESOLATE SPIRIT 


21 Save me from the lion’s mouth, 
And my afflicted self from the horns of the wild ox. 


22 Then will I publish thy name to my brethren; 
In the midst of the assembly I will praise thee. 


23 You who fear the Lord praise him! 
All you children of Jacob honor him! 
Stand in awe of him all you children of Israel; 
24 Because he has not despised, nor has he loathed the 
affliction of the afflicted; 
Nor has he hidden his face from him; 


But he has listened when he cried to him for aid. 


25 From thee is my praise in the great assembly; 
In the presence of those who fear him I will pay my 
vows. 
26 The humble will eat and be satisfied; 
Those who seek the Lord will praise him. 
May your heart live forever! 


27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn unto 
the Lord; 
All the clans of the nations will worship before him. 
28 For the kingdom belongs to the Lord; 
And he rules over the nations. 


29 Him alone will all the fat ones of the earth worship; 
Before him all those who go down to the dust will bow; 
For none keeps himself alive. 

30 The descendants will serve him. 

May it be told of the Lord to the coming generation, 

And may they tell of his righteousness to the people 
that shall be born, 

That he has wrought it. 


AL] 


THE PSALMS 


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43 
THE GOOD SHEPHERD 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


HE Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want; 
2 In green meadows he makes me lie down; 
To refreshing waters he leads me. 
3 He gives me new life. . 
He guides me in safe paths, for his name’s sake. 
4 Even though I walk in the darkest valley, 
I fear no harm; for thou art with me. 
Thy rod and thy staff—they comfort me. 
5 Thou layest a table before me in the presence of my 
enemies. 
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup overflows. 
6 Only goodness and grace will follow me all the days 
of my life. 
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord down to old 


age. 


24 
THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE 
GOOD MAN 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


HE earth is the Lord’s and its fulness, 
The world and those who dwell therein. 
2 For he founded it upon the seas, 
And established it upon the ocean-currents. 


3 Who can ascend into the hill of the Lord? 
And who can stand in his holy place? 


[ 32] 


A PRAYER FOR DIVINE HELP 


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4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, 

Who has had no desire for falsehood, 

And has not sworn to a lie. 
5 He will receive a blessing from the Lord, 

And justification from the God of his deliverance. 
6 This is the generation of those who search for him, 


Who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah 


7 Lift up your heads, O gates, 
And lift up yourselves, O ancient doors, 
That the king of glory may come in. 
8 Who, then, is the king of glory? 
The Lord strong and mighty, 
The Lord mighty in battle! 


9 Lift up your heads, O gates! 
And lift up yourselves, O ancient doors, 
That the king of glory may come in! 
10 Who, then, is the king of glory? 
The Lord of hosts, 
He is the king of glory! Selah 


2§ 
A PRAYER FOR DIVINE HELP 
[OF DAVID] 
X 
NTO thee, O Lord, do I lift up my desire. 
= 
2 My God, in thee have I trusted; let me not be put to 


shame. 
Let not my foes exult. 


| 33 | 


THE PSALMS 
A 
3 Indeed, let none that wait upon thee be put to shame; 
May they be put to shame who have been deceitful 


without cause. 
.t 


4 Thy ways, O Lord, make me know; 


Teach me thy paths. 
17 


5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me; 
For thou art the God of my help; 
Upon thee do I hope continually. 
t 
6 Remember thy mercy, O Lord, and thy kindness, 
For they have been from of old. 


n 
7 The sins of my youth and my offenses do not remember; 
In accordance with thy kindness, do thou remember 
me, 
For thy goodness’ sake, O Lord. 
a) 
8 Good and upright is the Lord, 
Therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 
« 
9 He leads the meek in justice, 
And he teaches the meek his way. 
ms 
10 All the paths of the Lord are kindness and truth, 
For those who observe his covenant and his commands. 
P 
11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, 
Pardon my guilt, though it is great. 


[ 34] 


A PRAYER FOR DIVINE HELP 


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12 What man is there that fears the Lord? 
He will teach him in the way that he must choose. 
13 He will dwell in good times, 
And his descendants will possess the land. 


14 The secret of the Lord is for those who fear him, 
And it is his agreement to teach it to them. 


y 
15 My eyes are constantly with the Lord, 
That he may bring forth my feet from the net. 
3 
16 Turn unto me and have mercy upon me, 
For I am lonely and afflicted. 
as 
17 Enlarge the straits of my heart, 
And lead me forth from my distresses. 


18 See my affliction and my trouble, 
And forgive all my sins. 
4 
19 See my foes, that they are many; 
And they hate me with a violent hatred. 
w 
20 Preserve me and rescue me; 
Let me not be put to shame; for I take refuge in thee. 
n 
21 Let blamelessness and uprightness protect me, 
For I hope in thee. 


22 Redeem Israel, O God, 
From all its straits. 


[35] 


THE PSALMS 


26 
THE CLAIMS OF THE RIGHTEOUS 
[OF DAVID] 


IVE me justice, O Lord, for I have walked in my 
integrity. 
And I have trusted in the Lord, without wavering. 
2 Try me, O Lord, and test me, 
Examine my mind and my heart. 


3 For thy kindness is before my eyes, 
And J have walked in thy truth. 

4 I do not sit with faithless men, 
Nor with dissemblers do I go in. 


5 I hate the company of evildoers, 

And with the wicked I will not sit down. 
6 I wash my hands in innocence, 

And encircle thy altar, O Lord, 
7 To proclaim with a voice of praise, 

And to recount all thy wonders. 


8 O Lord, I have loved the habitation of thy house, 
And the place where thy glory dwells. 
g Take me not away along with sinners, 
Nor my life along with men of blood, 
10 In whose hands is an evil purpose, 
And whose right hand is full of bribes. 


11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity. 
Deliver me and be gracious to me. 

12 My foot stands upon level ground. 
In the congregations I bless the Lord. 


[ 36] 


27 
A SONG OF ASSURANCE 


[OF DAVID] 


HE Lord is my light and my salvation; 
whom shall I fear? 
The Lord is the refuge of my life; 
of whom shall I be afraid? 


2 When evildoers pressed in upon me, 
to eat up my flesh, 
My adversaries and my foes, 


they stumbled and fell. 


3 Though a host encamp against me, 
my heart will not fear; 
Though war arise against me, 
in this will I be confident. 


4 One thing I ask from the Lord, 
that do I seek: 
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord 
all the days of my life, 
To gaze upon the grace of the Lord, 
and to inquire in his temple. 


5 For he will hide me in his pavilion, 
in the day of trouble; 
He will conceal me in his secret tent, 
he will set me up upon a rock. 


[37] 


A SONG OF ASSURANCE 


THE PSALMS 
6 And now my head is high. 
above my foes on every side; 
And I will sacrifice in his tent 
sacrifices with shouts. 
I will sing and make music to the Lord. 


7 Hear, O my Lord, my voice with which I cry; 
be gracious to me and answer me. 
8 Concerning thee my heart says, 
“seek you my face!” 
Thy face, O Lord, do I seek; 
hide not thy face from me. 


9 Turn not thy servant away in anger; 
thou hast been my help. 
Cast me not off, neither forsake me, 
O God of my salvation! 


10 If my father and my mother forsake me, 
then the Lord will take me up. 
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, 
And guide me in a level path, 
because of my enemies. 


12 Yield me not to the desire of my foes; 
For false witnesses are risen up against me, 
and such as breathe forth violence. 
13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord 
in the land of the living. 


14 Hope thou upon the Lord. 
Be strong and keep a stout heart; 


And hope thou upon the Lord. 
[38] 


A PRAYER FOR PUNISHMENT OF THE WICKED 


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28 


A PRAYER FOR THE PUNISHMENT 
OF THE WICKED 


[OF DAVID] 


PON thee, O Lord, do I call; 
O my rock, be not deaf to me; 
Lest, because thou payest no heed to me, 
I become like those who go down to the pit. 


2 Hear the voice of my supplication, 
when I cry to thee for help, 
When I lift up my hands unto thy holy shrine. 
3 Snatch me not away with the wicked, 
and with those who do wrong, 
Who offer friendly greetings to their neighbors, 
while evil is in their hearts. 


4 Render to them according to their work, 
and according to their evil deeds. 
According to the work of their hands render to them; 
pay back to them what they have 
done. 
5 Because they de not give heed to the works of the Lord, 
and to the work of his hands, 
He will tear them down and not build them up. 


6 Blessed be the Lord! For he has heard 
the voice of my supplications. 
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; 
in him my heart has trusted; 
And I have been helped and my heart exults, 
and with my song I praise him. 


[ 39 | 


THE PSALMS 


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8 The Lord is the strength of his people and a refuge; 
the victory of his anointed is he. 
g Give victory to thy people, 
and bless thy inheritance; 
And shepherd them and carry them evermore. 


29 
THE GOD OF THE STORM 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


SCRIBE unto the Lord, O sons of the gods, 
A Ascribe unto the Lord glory and strength. 
2 Ascribe unto the Lord the glory of his name; 
Worship the Lord in holy array. 


3 The voice of the Lord is above the waters; 
The God of glory thunders. 
The Lord is over the great waters, 

4 The voice of the Lord is mighty, 
The voice of the Lord is majestic. 


s The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars, 
And the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon. 
6 He makes them skip like a calf, 
Lebanon and Sirion like a young wild-ox. 


7 The voice of the Lord hews out flames of fire. 

8 The voice of the Lord makes the desert whirl, 
The Lord whirls the desert of Kadesh. 

g The voice of the Lord whirls the terebinths, 
And strips the forests bare. 
While in his palace everything says, “‘Glory!” 


[ 40] 


PRAISE FOR THE HELP OF THE LORD 
10 The Lord sits over the flood, 
The Lord sits as king forever. 
11 The Lord gives strength to his people; 
The Lord blesses his people with peace. 


30 
PRAISE FOR THE HELP OF THE LORD 


[A PSALM; SONG OF THE DEDICATION 
OF THE HOUSE; OF DAVID] 


WILL extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast drawn me 
forth, 
And hast not let my foes rejoice over me. 
2 O Lord, my God, I cried for help unto thee, 
And thou didst heal me. 
3 O Lord, thou hast brought me up from Sheol, 
Thou hast revived me from among those who go down 
to the pit. 


4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his pious ones, 
And praise his holy name. 
5 For though there be a moment in his wrath, there is 
life in his favor. 
Weeping may lodge with us at evening, but in the 
morning there is a shout of Joy. 


6 But I said in my security, 
“T shall never be moved.” 
7 O Lord, by thy favor thou hast made my mountain to 
stand strong; 
Thou didst hide thy face; I was dismayed. 
8 Unto thee, O Lord, I called; 
And unto the Lord I made supplication: 


[41 ] 


THE PSALMS 
g‘What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to 
the pit? 
Will the dust praise thee? Will it declare thy faithful- 
ness? 
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me. 


O Lord, be thou my helper.” 


11 Thou hast turned my mourning into dancing. 
Thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with 
gladness. 
12 In order that my honor may praise thee and not be 
silent, 
O Lord, my God, I will evermore praise thee. 


31 
MINGLED PRAYER AND PRAISE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM 
OF DAVID] 


N THEE, O Lord, I have taken refuge; 
Let me nevermore be put to shame; 
Through thy justification, deliver me! 
2 Bow down thy ear to me, 
Quickly rescue me! 
Become for me a rock of refuge, 
A mountain-fort to save me! 


3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; 
And for thy name’s sake thou wilt lead me and guide 
me. 
4 Thou wilt bring me forth from the net which they 
have laid for me; 
For thou art my refuge. 


[ 42 | 


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MINGLED PRAYER AND PRAISE 


Into thy hand I commit my spirit. 
Thou wilt redeem me, O Lord, thou faithful God. 


I hate them that pay regard to false vanities. 

But I myself have trusted in the Lord. 

I will exult and rejoice in thy grace, 

For thou hast seen my affliction, 

Thou hast taken heed of my straits. 

And thou hast not delivered me into the hand of the foe; 
But hast established my feet upon a broad place. 


Be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; 
Through grief my eye 1s weakened, 
myself and my body. 
For my life is consumed in sorrow, 
and my years in groaning. 
My strength has failed through my affliction, 
and my bones have wasted away. 


I am become an object of reproach from all my foes, 
a thing of dread to my neighbors, 

A terror to my acquaintances who see me on the street; 
they flee from me. 

I am forgotten like a dead man; out of mind, 
like a lost article am I; 

For I hear the remark of many, 
“terror on every side,” 

When they counsel together against me; 

They plan to take my life. 


But I have trusted in thee, O Lord; 
I have said, ““Thou art my God; 


[43 ] 


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15 My times are in thy hand. 
Rescue me from the hand of my foes and those who 
pursue me; 
16 Let thy face shine upon thy servant; 
Deliver me through thy grace. 


17O Lord, let me not be put to shame 
for I have called upon thee; 
Let the wicked be put to shame; 
let them wait for Sheol. 
18 May lying lips be made dumb, 
Those that speak insolence against the righteous, 
in pride and scorn. 


19 “How great is thy goodness which thou hast in store for 
those who fear thee, 
Which thou hast wrought for those relying upon thee, 
in the presence of the sons of men. 
20 Thou dost secrete them in the secret of thy presence 
from the plottings of man. 
Thou dost shelter them in thy pavilion from the strife 
of tongues.” 


21 Blessed be the Lord! For he showed me his 
wonderful kindness 
in a besieged city. 
22 I said in my alarm, 
“T am cut off from before thy eyes.” 
But thou didst hear the voice of my supplication, 
when I cried to thee for aid. 
23 Love the Lord, O all you his pious ones; 
The Lord preserves the faithful; 
But he requites to excess him who acts haughtily. 


[ 44 | 


THE BLESSED LOT OF THE PIOUS 
24 Be strong, and let your heart be firm, 
All you who wait for the Lord. 


pe 
THE BLESSED LOT OF THE PIOUS 


[OF DAVID. A maski] 


H, THE happiness of him whose transgression is 
forgiven, whose sin is covered! 
2 Oh, the happiness of the man to whom the Lord 
charges no guilt, 
And in whose spirit there is no guile! 
3 When I kept silent my bones wasted away 
Through my groaning all day long. 
4 For, day and night, thy hand lay heavy upon me; 
My sap was turned into the drought of summer. Selah 


5 My sin I declared to thee, and my guilt I have not 


concealed. 
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” 
And thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. Selah 


6 Therefore let every pious man pray to thee: 
That in the time of distress, in the rush of great waters, 
They may not reach him. 


7 Thou art my hiding-place; from the foe thou guardest 
me. 


Thou dost surround me with deliverance. 


8 I will instruct thee and show thee the way which thou 
must go; 
I will counsel thee, with my eye upon thee. 
9 Be not like a horse or a mule, without sense, 
With bridle and bit must his temper be restrained 
That he come not near to you. 


[45] 


THE PSALMS 
10 The wicked has many sorrows, 
But him who trusts in the Lord he surrounds with 
kindness. 
11 Rejoice in the Lord and exult, O righteous, 
And shout for joy, all you who are right-minded. 


83 
THE LORD OF ALL CREATION 


EJOICE in the Lord, O righteous ones, 
Praise befits the upright. 
2 Praise the Lord with the harp; 
Play to him on the ten-stringed lute. 
3 Sing unto him a new song; 


Play skilfully with glad shouts. 


4 For the word of the Lord is right, 
And all his work is faithful. 
5 He loves righteousness and Justice. 


The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 


6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were founded; 
And by the breath of his mouth all their host. 

7 He gathers the waters of the sea as in a waterskin, 
He puts the deeps in storehouses. 


8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; 

Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. 
9 For he spoke and it was! 

He commanded and it stood fast! 


10 The Lord annuls the counsel of the nations, 
He frustrates the plans of the peoples. 


[ 46] 


Deereeneanennenenennaci 


THE LORD OF ALL CREA TI ON _ 


11 But the counsel of the Zord stands forever, 
The plans of his heart for age upon age. 

12 How happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, 
The people that he has chosen as his heritage. 


13 The Lord looks down from the heavens, 
He sees all the children of men. 

14 From the place of his dwelling he looks forth 
Upon all the inhabitants of the earth; 

15 He who fashions the hearts of them all, 
Who considers all their deeds. 


16 The king is not saved by the size of his army; 
A warrior is not rescued by his great strength. 
17 The horse is a delusion for victory; 
And he does not deliver by his great strength. 


18 So the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, 
Those who wait for his goodness, 

19 To rescue them from death, 
And to keep them alive in famine. 


20 We wait upon the Lord; 
He is our help and our shield; 
21 For our heart rejoices in him, 
For in his holy name we trust. 


22 May thy goodness, O Lord, be over us, 
According as we hope in thee. 


[47] 


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THE PSALMS 


34 
THE GOODNESS OF GOD 
[OF DAVID; WHEN HE CHANGED HIS BEHAVIOR 
BEFORE ABIMELECH, SO THAT HE DROVE 
HIM OUT AND HE DEPARTED] 
SS 
BLESS the Lord at all times, 


His praise 1s constantly in my mouth. 


2 I glory in the Lord; 
Let the pious hear and rejoice. 


A 
3 Magnify the Lord with me, 
And let us all exalt his name. 


uF 
4 1 sought the Lord and he answered me, 
And delivered me from all my terrors. 


157 
5 Look at me, and so be jubilant, 
And let not your faces be abashed: 


; 


6 This poor man called and the Lord heard, 
And delivered him from all his troubles. 


m 
7 The angel of the Lord encamps 


Around those who fear him, and rescues them. 


ie) 
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. 
How happy is the man who takes refuge in him! 


[ 48 ] 


THE GOODNESS OF GOD 


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g Fear the Lord, you his holy ones, 
For those who fear him feel no lack. 


2 
1o Young lions do lack, and suffer hunger; 
But those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 
5 
11 Come, children, listen to me, 
And I will teach you reverence for the Lord. 


ya 
12 What man is there who desires life, 
Who loves length of days that he may see good? 
13 Keep your tongue from evil 
And your lips from telling lies; 
2) 
14 Depart from evil and do good; 
Seek peace, and pursue it. 
y 
15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, 
And his ears are open to their cry. 


5 
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, 
That he may cut off the memory of them from the 
earth. 
p4 
17 They call and the Lord hears, 


And he rescues them from all their troubles. 


18 The Lord is near to the broken-hearted, 
And he delivers those who are crushed in spirit. 


[49] 


THE PSALMS 
Pr 
19 Many are the ills of the righteous, 
But from them all the Lord delivers him. 


18) 
20 He guards all his bones, 
So that not one of them is broken. 


n 
21 Evil will slay the wicked; 
And those who hate the righteous will be held guilty. 
22 The Lord will redeem the life of his servants, 
And none who take refuge in him will be held guilty. 


35 
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 


[OF DAVID] 


PPOSE, O Lord, my opponents; 
Fight those who fight me. 0 
2 Lay hold of buckler and shield, 
And rise up to my help. 
3 Draw the spear and battle-ax to meet my pursuers; 
Say to me, “I am thy deliverance.” 


4 May they be put to shame and confusion that seek my 
life; 
May they be turned back and disgraced who plan evil 
against me. 
5 May they be like chaff before the wind, 
With the angel of the Lord chasing them. 
6 May their road be darkness and slipperiness, 
With the angel of the Lord pursuing them. 


[50 ] 


4A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 
7 For without cause they hid their net for me; 
Without cause they dug a pit for me. 
8 May destruction come upon him unawares; 
And may the net which he has hidden catch him him- 
self; 


In destruction may he fall therein! 


g But I shall exult in the Lord, 
And rejoice in his deliverance. 
10 All my bones will say, 
““O Lord, who is like thee, 
Saving the poor from him that is too strong for him, 
The poor and the needy from him that would rob him?” 


11 Malicious witnesses rise up 
Who ask me regarding that of which I know nothing. 
12 They requite me evil for good, 
For my personal bereavement. 
13 For I, when they were sick—my clothing was sack- 
cloth, 
I afflicted myself by fasting, 
And my prayer returned to my own lap. 
14 As though it were my friend or brother I went about; 
As in sorrow for a mother I bowed down mourning. 


15 But at my fall they rejoice and gather together, 
Smiters gather together against me and I know not, 
They rend without ceasing. 

16 When I assert my friendship they jeer scornfully, 
Gnashing at me with their teeth. 

17 O Lord, how long wilt thou look on? 

Draw me back from the roaring ones, 
My solitary self from the young lions. 


[51] 


THE PSALMS 
18 I will thank thee in the great assembly, 
Among a mighty people will I praise thee. 


19 Let not those who are my foes wrongfully rejoice 
over me, 
Nor those who hate me without cause wink the eye. 
20 For they do not speak peace, 
But against those who are at ease in the land 
_ They devise treacherous things. 
21 And they open wide their mouths against me. 
They say, “Aha, Aha, our eye sees it!” 


22 Thou hast seen, O Lord; be not silent! 
O Lord, remove not far from me! 
23 Bestir thyself and rise up to do me justice, 
My God and my Lord, to plead my cause! 
24 Do me justice in accordance with thy righteousness, 
O Lord, my God! 


And let them not rejoice over me! 


25 May they not say to themselves, “Aha, our desire!”’ 
May they not say, “We have swallowed him up.” 

26 May they be put to shame and disgraced 
Who rejoice over my calamity; 
May they be clothed with shame and disgrace 
Who magnify themselves against me. 

27 May they shout for joy and be glad who are pleased at 

my vindication. 

And may they continually say, “The Lord is great, 
Who desires the welfare of his servant.” 

28 Then my tongue will proclaim thy righteousness, 
And thy praise all the day long. 


[52] 


THE GOODNESS OF GOD AND SIN _ 


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36 
THE GOODNESS OF GOD AND THE 
SIN OF THE WICKED 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SERVANT OF THE 
Lord, OF DAVID| 


RANSGRESSION is delightful to the wicked 
within his heart; 
There is no dread of God before his eyes. 
2 For it deceives him in his own eyes, 
Concerning the finding out of his guilt and the hatred 
of it. 
3 The words of his mouth are wrong and deceit; 
He has ceased to be wise and to do good. 
4 He plans wrongdoing while in bed; 
He takes his stand on a way that is not good. 
He does not despise wickedness. 


5 O Lord, thy goodness extends to the heavens, 
Thy faithfulness unto the clouds. 

6 Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God, 
Thy judgments are a great deep. 
Thou savest man and beast, O Lord. 


7 How precious is thy goodness, O God! 
And the children of men take refuge under the shadow 
of thy wings. 
8 They drink their fill of the fatness of thy house, 
And thou givest them drink of the stream of thy 
pleasures. 


g For with thee is the fountain of life; 
Through thy light do we see light. 


[53 |] 


THE PSALMS 
10 Continue thy goodness to those that know thee, 
And thy justification to the right-minded. 


11 May the foot of pride not come upon me, 
Nor the hand of the wicked drive me out. 

12 There the workers of wrong are fallen; 
They are overthrown and cannot rise up. 


oy 
GOD’S CARE FOR THE PIOUS 


[or DAVID] 


NS 
RET not yourself because of evildoers, 
Be not incensed because of wrongdoers; 
2 For they will soon wither like grass, 
And fade away like the green herb. 
al 
3 Trust in the Lord and do good; 
Inhabit the land and move about in security. 
Take your delight in the Lord, 
And he will give you the desire of your heart. 


a 


as 
4 Commit your way unto the Lord, 
And trust in him; and he will act. 
5 He will bring forth your right like the light, 
And your just cause like the noonday. 
a 
6 Wait patiently for the Lord and hope in him; 
Fret not yourself because of him who makes his way 
prosper, 
Him who succeeds in his plans. 


[54] 


GOD’S CARE FOR THE PIOUS 


RTH NNN HENAN ENE NNELLGAEOENANONNAE EDO NAAGEDESELAOUSOESEERLAEUHUUNELOUAAESSEUAGAEOELSTSATASEGLEDELIOUYLOULAANOGASCAUALEVENACESGGANAGEAEOEDAUOGHLOLUTSEOOGHOADEDSLSVO LEDEDADEvEGUDENDOEEUENEOLASALSEDEDEAONEENOAGEVEEEOEGUSAseneurvADNDEDS PEssvaNanioesNDeNseesNSE HDNLONeseOaeS 


7 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath. 
Fret not yourself; it does nothing but harm. 
8 For evildoers will be cut off; 


While those who wait upon the Lord will possess the 


land. 
| 


g Yet a little while and the wicked will be no more; 
Though you look hard at his place, he will not be there. 
10 But the meek will possess the land, 
And rejoice in abundant prosperity. 


7 
11 Though the wicked plot against the innocent, 
And gnash his teeth at him, 
12 The Lord laughs at him; 


For he sees that his day will come. 


mn 
13 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bow, 
To bring down the poor and needy, 
To slay those whose way is right. 
14 Their sword will enter their own hearts, 
And their bows will be broken. 


2 
15 Better is the little of the righteous 
Than the wealth of many wicked. 
16 For the resources of the wicked will be broken, 
But the Lord supports the righteous. 
. 
17 The Lord knows the days of the innocent, 
And their possession abides forever. 
18 They will not be put to shame in bad times, 
And in the time of famine they will be satisfied. 


[55] 


THE PSALMS 


WakeAesessaseeenunsecanen: 
eerasnies AAHsAATEsOCENOQNE IEA SEAIGPEPENSAMCURSAAERERSAAAAANAALONAITS SELOOCREOLECUEAGLLISHELLEUPRIESITIDELGTESETTOLUGEETERUSEDEGULEDINIEENIASAVUGALEDEGIAAONGSLSAOGOERLSULEGORANLANSONAEDEEINEGAIEGOSNGOONSLSADONDOIASDAASAOENOEASAOGAISFESAESINA LAENAANEONSRS 


i 
1g For the wicked will perish; 
And the enemies of the Lord, who walk haughtily, 
Will vanish like smoke. 


20 If the wicked borrows, he does not pay back; 
But the righteous is generous and gives. 

21 Those who bless him will possess the land, 
But those who curse him will be cut off. 


a) 
22 The steps of a man are from the Lord, 
And he establishes him with whose way he is pleased. 
23 Though he fall, he will not lie prostrate, 
For the Lord holds his hand. 


: 
24 I have been young, and now I am old; 
But I have not seen the righteous forsaken, 
Nor his descendants begging their bread. 
25 He is always generous and ever lending, 
And his offspring becomes a blessing. 


te) 
26 Shun evil and do good, 
So shall you abide forever. 
27 For the Lord loves the right, 
And he does not desert his saints. 


y 
They are kept forever, 
But the offspring of the wicked is cut off. 
28 The upright will possess the land, 
And will dwell therein forever. 


[ 56] 


GOD’S CARE FOR THE PIOUS 
5 
29 The mouth of the upright utters wisdom, 
And his tongue speaks justice. 
30 The law of his God is in his heart, 


His steps do not slip. 
hy 


31 When the wicked spies upon the upright, 
And seeks to kill him, 
32 The Lord will not deliver him into his hand, 
Nor will he declare him guilty when he is brought to 
trial. 


P 
33 Wait for the Lord, and keep his way; 
And he will exalt you to possess the land. 
You will gaze upon the destruction of the wicked. 


“ 
34 I saw the wicked triumphing, 

And towering aloft like the cedar of Lebanon; 
35 But I passed by and lo, he was not! 

And when I sought for him he was not to be found. 


ita) 
36 Watch integrity and look upon right; 
For there is a posterity for the man of peace. 
37 But lawbreakers are wholly destroyed. 
The posterity of the wicked is cut off. 
n 
38 The help of the innocent comes from the Lord; 
Their strength is he in time of need. 
39 The Lord helps them and rescues them; 
He rescues them from the wicked and makes them 
victorious; 
Because they trust in him. 


‘aye 


THE PSALMS 


PEELE LE ETTCLEEEOTETUENEETEREREOHETECUTERHEDEUEAAUCENICOTESITSONTEEEEPEROAEEDEEANEDENHUONDOOLTEEOEPDOEREREDOOUDDLNGALORESOUE OES ROOT IEROGETORETIIEFTOEIETESOSERSSRELEEAUEDUOERORETTNCRRENTNN PO TENANT HOA TYRREFYTTETEDETHOPRrOTECAstaTeneRENTeNeER ED PetRD neveneneeEter tine rrneTre nny aeerentnereney 


38 
A PRAYER OF ONE IN GREAT TROUBLE 
[A PSALM OF DAVID. TO MAKE A MEMORIAL] 


O NOT reprove me in thy wrath, O Lord, 
Nor correct me in thy fury. 
2 For thy arrows have sunk deep into me, 
And thy hand has come down upon me. 


3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of thy 
anger; 
There is no health in my bones because of my sin. 
4 For my guilt has passed over my head, 
Like a heavy load it is too heavy for me. 


5 My wounds are fetid, they fester, 
Because of my folly. 

6 I am bent, I am bowed down exceedingly; 
I go about mourning all day long. 


7 For my loins are full of inflammation, 
And there is no soundness in my flesh. 

8 I am benumbed and badly crushed; 
I groan because of the moan of my heart. 


9 O Lord, all my desire is before thee, 
And my sighing is not hidden from thee. 
10 My heart palpitates; my strength has left me; 
Even the light of my eyes is not with me. 


11 Those who love me and my friends stand back from 
my plague. 
And my kinsmen stand afar off. 


[58] 


4 PRAYER OF ONE IN GREAT TROUBLE 
12 They that seek my life lay snares for me, 

And those who desire my harm speak of ruin, 

And they meditate deceit all day long. 


13 But I, like a deaf man, hear not; 
And I am like a dumb man who does not open his 
mouth. 
14 I am like a man that does not hear, 
And one in whose mouth there are no arguments. 


15 But for thee, O Lord, do I wait; 
Thou wilt answer, O Lord, my God! 
16 For I think, “Else will they rejoice over me; 
When my foot slips, they will magnify themselves 
against me.” 


17 For I am ready for a fall, 

And my grief is ever before me. 
18 I am in horror of my guilt; 

I am sorry for my sin. 


19 My foes without reason are numerous; 
Many are those that hate me falsely, 

20 And render me evil for good; 
They oppose me because I follow after good. 


21 Do not forsake me, O Lord; 
My God, be not far from me! 
Hasten to my assistance; 

O Lord, to my rescue! 


[59] 


THE PSALMS 


UNUTTETORERAEDODETOOELETCTUREHEEETELENDERUEYOOEONE LOO EETEDODENDESEEOEEESETEDORERD DECOR SD EOLYTOOOTHDOLENEOEOTONVONODITUN CADE DOT ETELONOHPEOPOTATEOE TOGO TERERRRELECEREORENSD GEL DEERE RS CANT ALATO OES RNDEREHRD DOR LOTON ACHE EDCRRERREMERERED NOEL ONDERORESARRARDADENeE DRED URAL EMEC TESEOTELETTEREED 


Se 
A PLEA FOR MERCY TOWARD A MAN 
OF FLEETING EXISTENCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: FOR jeduthun. 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 


SAID, “I will watch my ways 
That J may not sin with my tongue; 
I will put a muzzle on my mouth, 
As long as the wicked is before me.” 
2 I was dumb in silence; 
I refrained from good, 
And my pain was aroused. 
3 My heart burned within me; 
While I meditated, a fire kindled; 
I spoke with my tongue: 


4‘O Lord, teach me my end, 
And what is the extent of my days; 
Let me know how I shall end. 
5 Lo, thou hast fixed my days but as handbreadths, 
And my lifetime is as nothing before thee; 
As a mere breath every man stands. Selah 
6 As but a shadow a man walks; 
As but a breath he bestirs himself. 
He heaps up and knows not who will gather it in. 


7“And now for what do I wait, O Lord? 
My hope is in thee! 

8 From all my transgressions deliver me! 
Make me not the scorn of the reprobate. 

9 Iam dumb; I do not open my mouth; 
For it is thou who hast done it. 


[60] 


A PRAYER FOR SPEEDY RELIEF FROM TROUBLE 
10 Remove thy plague from me; 
By the blows of thy hand I perish. 
11 With corrections for guilt thou dost chastise a man. 
And thou dost wipe out his desire like a cobweb. 
Verily, all men are but a breath. Selah 


12“‘Hear my prayer, O Lord, 
And give heed to my cry! 
Be not unresponsive to my tears; 
For I am a guest with thee, 
A sojourner, like all my ancestors. 
13 Turn thy gaze away from me, that I may be glad, 
Before I go away and be no more.” 


40 
A PRAYER FOR SPEEDY RELIEF 
FROM TROUBLE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID| 


WAITED patiently for the Lord, 
And he paid heed to me and heard my plea. 
2 So he drew me up from the pit of ruin, 
from the miry swamp; 
And he set my feet upon a rock, 
establishing my steps. 
3 And he put a new song in my mouth, 
praise to our God. 
Many will see and be afraid, 
and will trust in the Lord. 


4 How happy is the man who has made 
the Lord his trust, 
And has not turned after idolaters, 
and lying apostates. 


[ 61 | 


THE PSALMS 


SEAEUEYELARUCCULLLUAEAETDLARDARNAARUESAAEELURTATAAAEDALONLLECEAP EO UANSEAUTHERAOEDEUPEUSTHVCNONEERUOBECHOAEEADORLEDEDOEDOUEDERELEDDNTEEDLAOEREHILGUREGOLEELCCUCELEOORERLATRERES VEERESED CAELUVABEALETEEREESETRUTENEEESYONCUEOSEFEEFUEEESUVORSTRUESRATONET POND ROABETAESESOUDEREAONFAULAAEK IEEE 


5 Thou hast done great things, 
O Lord my God; 
Wonderful are thy thoughts toward us; 
there is none to compare with thee. 
Were I to declare and tell them, 
they are too many to enumerate. 


6 Sacrifice and offering thou dost not desire 

(Thou hast opened my ears); 

Burnt-offering and sin-offering thou dost not demand. 
7 Then said I, “Lo, I come 

(In the roll of a book which was written for me). 
8 I delight to do thy will, O my God; 

And thy law is in my very heart. 


9 “I have proclaimed thy vindication in the great assembly. 

Lo, I do not close my lips; 
O Lord, thou knowest. 

10 Thy vindication I have not concealed within my heart; 
Thy faithfulness and thy victory I have told. 
I have not withheld thy grace and thy fidelity from the 

great assembly. 

11 Do thou, O Lord, not restrain thy mercy from me. 

May thy grace and thy fidelity always protect me. 


12°‘For sins beyond number beset me, 
My offenses have overtaken me, so that I cannot 
see. 
They are more numerous than the hairs of my head; 
And my heart has failed me. 
13 Be pleased, O Lord, to rescue me; 
O Lord, haste to my help. 


[ 62 ] 


A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 
14“May they be both ashamed and abashed who seek to 
take away my life; 
May they be turned back and routed who desire my 
ruin. 
15 May they be appalled by reason of their shame, 
Who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’ 


16**May all those who seek thee rejoice, 
and be glad in thee. 
May those who love thy deliverance continually say, 
‘Great is the Lord.’ 
17 Since I am poor and needy, 
Hasten to me, O Lord! 
Thou art my help and my deliverer; 
O my God, do not tarry.” 


4I 
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


OW happy is he who is considerate of the weak; 
In the day of trouble the Lord delivers him. 
2 The Lord protects him and keeps him alive; 
He is called happy in the land. 
Thou wilt not give him over to the rage of his foes; 
3 The Lord sustains him upon his sickbed. 
All his bed thou hast changed in his illness. 


4 1 say, “Have mercy on me, O Lord! 
Heal me; for I have sinned against thee!’ 
5 My foes say evil of me, 
“How long till he die, and his name perish?” 


[ 63 | 


THE PSALMS 
6 If he comes to see me, he speaks lies; 
His heart lays up malice; 
He goes outside and talks. 
7 All who hate me whisper together against me. 
They devise evil against me. 


8 An evil deed they plot against him, 
That when he lies down, he may not rise up again. 
g Even my friend in whom I trusted, 
He who ate my bread, has acted deceitfully against me. 


10 But thou, O Lord, be gracious to me and raise me up, 
That I may repay them! 
11 By this I shall know that thou art pleased with me, 
In that my foe does not triumph over me. 
12 But as for me, because of my integrity thou dost 
maintain me, 
And thou dost set me before thee evermore. 


13 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, 
From everlasting to everlasting. 
Amen and amen. 


[ 64 ] 


BOOK II 
PSS. 42-72 


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42-43 
A SONG OF ASSURANCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A maskil OF THE 
SONS OF KORAH] 


A A deer longs for the water-courses, 

So my whole being longs for thee, O God. 

My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God: 

How long till I come and see the face of God? 

My tears have been my food day and night, 

While men say to me all day long, “Where is your 
God?” 


These things I ponder upon and pour out my very self: 

That I went in the company of the nobles to the house 
of God, 

With the sound of jubilation and praise—a festal crowd. 

Why art thou brought low, O my spirit? 

And why dost thou murmur within me? 

Wait thou for God; for I shall again praise him, 

The shelter of my countenance and my God. 


My spirit is brought low within me; 

Therefore do I think of thee from the land of the Jor- 
dan, 

And the Hermons, from the hill Mizar. 

Deep calls to deep to the sound of thy waterfalls; 

All thy waves and thy billows pass over me. 

By day the Lord orders his grace, 

And by night his song is with me, 

A prayer to the God of my life. 


[ 67 ] 


9 


THE PSALMS 


I say to God, my rock, “Why hast thou forgotten me? 
Why do I go mourning because of oppression by the 
foe?” 


1o With piercing pain my enemies reproach me, 


oe 
i oma 


43:1 


i) 


ioe) 


aN 


Wm 


While they say unto me all day long, “Where is your 
God?” 

Why art thou brought low, O my spirit, 

And why dost thou murmur within me? 

Wait thou for God; for I shall again praise him, 


The salvation of my countenance and my God. 


Do me justice, O God, and plead my case! 

From a godless people, from deceitful and wicked 
men do thou release me. 

For thou, O God of my fortress, why hast thou cast 
me off? 

Why do I walk in mourning because of the oppression 
of the foe? 

Send forth thy light and thy faithfulness; may they 
guide me, 

May they bring me to thy holy hill, and to thy 
dwelling-place. 

May I go to the altar of God, to God my highest 
joys 

And may I praise thee with the lute, O God my 
God. 

Why art thou brought low, O my spirit; 

And why dost thou murmur within me? 

Wait thou for God; for I shall again praise him, 

The salvation of my countenance and my God. 


[ 68 | 


AN APPEAL TO THE FUSTICE OF GOD 


AOULENEAEEAL NAO REED EEAESEITLADAARAEREADAAACSLUODARASERELAEALANAUAASLEDERSEUEDEARDESS EU DAALDEDSAEAAAAANNAUAEDAEREROEAEAECOSEOUAUEASINEASGNOUDOAFESERGOAIAAET EO EES DEEEAUOUSELOOSELOREACUEAUDOONSBOPULNESESASGOA OUD EBREEESSOSAOHOUOLEDONREEAESOEEHOHOAOMORIDNAI EDO FAEOBEEEONEANSOEDSnAtanOGON NON 


44 
AN APPEAL TO THE JUSTICE OF GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SONS 
OF KORAH; A maski/]| 


GOD, we have heard with our ears, 
Our fathers have told us, 
The work that thou didst in their days, in days of 
old. 
2 Thou didst dispossess the nations by thy hand, but 
them thou didst implant. 
Thou didst break up the peoples, but them thou didst 
spread abroad. 
3 For not by their sword did they seize the land, 
Nor did their own arm give them victory, 
4 But thy right hand and thy arm, 
And the light of thy countenance; for thou wast 
gracious to them. 


5 It is thou, my king, O God, 
Who orderest victory for Jacob. 
6 Through thee we push down our foes; 
Through thy name we trample upon our adversaries. 
7 For not in my bow do I trust, 
Nor does my sword bring me victory; 
8 But thou hast saved us from our foes, 
And hast put to shame those that hate us. 
9 In God we have made our boast continually, 
And thy name we will praise forever. Selah 


10 Yet thou hast spurned and brought us to shame. 
And thou dost not go forth with our armies. 


[ 69 | 


THE PSALMS 
11 Thou dost turn us back from the foe, 
And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves. 
12 Thou dost make us food like sheep; 
And among the nations thou hast dispersed us. 
13 Thou sellest thy people for nothing, 
And dost not make much by their price. 
14 Thou makest us a taunt to our neighbors, 
A scorn and a derision to those around us. 
15 Thou makest us a byword among the nations. 
A laughingstock among the peoples. 
16 All day long my disgrace is before me, 
And shamefacedness covers me. 
17 Because of the voice of the scoffer and the scorner, 
Because of the enemy and the vengeful one. 


18 All this has come upon us, though we have not for- 
gotten thee, 

Nor have we been false to thy covenant. 

1g Our heart has not turned back, 
Nor our step swerved from thy path. 

20 Yet thou hast crushed us in the region of the jackals, 
And covered us with thick darkness. 

a1 If we have forgotten the name of our God, 
Or have spread forth our hands to a foreign god, 

22 Does not God search this out? 
For he knows the secrets of the heart. 

23 But because of thee we are slain the whole day long, 
We are counted as sheep for the slaughter. 


24 Awake! Why sleepest thou, O Lord? 
Arouse thyself; do not spurn us forever! 

25 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face, 
Forgetting our affliction and oppression? 


[ 70 ] 


A ROYAL MARRIAGE SONG 
26 For we are sunk down to the dust; 
Our body cleaves to the earth. 
27 Arise to our help; 
And release us for thy goodness’ sake. 


45 
A ROYAL MARRIAGE SONG 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON Shoshannim, 
OF THE SONS OF KORAH; A maskil; A 
LOVE-SONG| 


Y HEART is stirred by a good theme; 
I say, “My work concerns a king; 
My tongue is the pen of a rapid writer.” 


2 You are the most fair of the sons of men; 
Grace is poured out through your lips; 
Therefore God has blessed you evermore. 

3 Gird your sword upon your thigh, O warrior; 
Success to your praise and your majesty! 

4 Ride on for the cause of truth and to hear the right; 
And may your right hand show you wonders! 

5 May your sharp arrows be in the midst of the king’s 

foes! 

May peoples fall under you! 

6 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever! 
A righteous scepter is the scepter of your kingdom. 


7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness; 
Therefore has God, your God, anointed you 
With the oil of gladness above your companions. 

8 Myrrh and aloes and cassia are on all your garments; 
From ivory palaces stringed instruments delight you. 


[71] 


THE PSALMS 
g Kings’ daughters are among your treasures. 


A princess stands at your right hand with gold from 
Ophir. 


io Hear, O daughter, and see; and incline your ear; 
And forget your people and your father’s house. 
11 For the king desires your beauty; 
He indeed is your lord—bow yourself before him! 


12 The daughter of Tyre with an offering is before you; 
The richest of the peoples court you. 
13 All glorious is the king’s daughter within; 
Her clothing is embroidered with gold. 
14 In brilliant colors she is brought to the king; 
The virgins in her train, her companions, are brought 
to you. 
15 With gladness and joy are they brought in; 
They enter the palace of the king. 


16 Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; 
You will make them princes throughout the land. 
17 I would extol your name through all generations; 
Therefore peoples will praise you forever and ever. 


46 
THE MIGHTY GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SONS OF 
KORAH. UPON alamoth. A SONG] 


OD is our refuge and strength, 
A well-proved help in trouble. 
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth totter, 
And the mountains topple into the heart of the sea; 


[ 72 ] 


THE VICTORIOUS GOD 


3 Though its waters roar and foam, 
Though the mountains quake at its uproar. Selah 


4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of 
God, 
The holiest habitation of the Most High; 
5 God is in the midst of her; she will not totter. 
God will help her at break of dawn. 
6 The nations roar; the kingdoms totter; 
He utters his voice—the earth melts. 
7 The Lord of hosts 1s with us; 
The God of Jacob is our high tower. 


8 Come, see the deeds of the Lord, 
How he has wrought ruin in the earth! 
g He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth. 
He breaks the bow and cuts off the lance; 
The chariots he burns with fire. 
10 Be still, and know that I am God. 
I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the 
earth. 
11 The Lord of Hosts is with us; 
The God of Jacob is our high tower. Selah 


47 
THE VICTORIOUS GOD 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SONS OF KORAH; 
A PSALM] 
ALL peoples, clap your hands! 
Shout to God with a glad voice! 
2 For the Lord, most high, is terrible, 
A great king over all the earth. 


E73] 


THE PSALMS 
3 He subjected peoples under us, 
And put nations under our feet. 
He chose our possession for us, 
The pride of Jacob whom he loved. Selah 
God went up with a shout, 
The Lord with the sound of the trumpet. 


as 


Gn 


ON 


Sing praises to God, sing praises! 
Sing praises to our king, sing praises! 
7 For God is king over the whole earth. 
Sing praises with a maskil. 
God rules over the nations; 
God sits upon his holy throne. 
g The nobles of the peoples are assembled 
With the people of the God of Abraham. 
10 For the shields of the earth belong to God; 
He is highly exalted. | 


oo 


48 
THE FAITHFUL GOD 


[A SONG: A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH] 


REAT is the Lord and greatly to be praised, 
In the city of our God, his holy hill. 
Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth 
Is the hill of Zion in the far north, 
The city of the great king. 
3 God, in her palaces, 
Has shown himself a tower of strength. 


v 


4 For lo, the kings conspired together; 
They became enraged also. 


L 74] 


THE FAITHFUL GOD 


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They saw; thereupon they were amazed; 

They were overwhelmed, they fled in terror. 

Panic seized them there, 

Anguish as of one in travail. 

By an east wind 

Thou didst shatter the ships of Tarshish. 

As we have heard, so have we seen, 

In the city of the Lord of hosts, 

In the city of our God— 

God establishes her forever. Selah 


We have pondered upon thy grace, O God, 
In the midst of thy temple. 

As thy name, O God, so also thy praise, 
Reaches the ends of the earth. 

Thy right hand is full of righteousness. 


Let Mount Zion rejoice, 

Let the daughters of Judah exult, 
Because of thy judgments. 

Encircle Zion and walk around her; 
Count her towers; 

Set your mind upon her wall; 

Go through her palaces; 

That you may tell the next generation, 
That such is God, 

Our God forever and ever. 

He will guide us until death. 


[75] 


THE PSALMS 


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49 
THE END OF ALL FLESH 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SONS OF 
KORAH; A PSALM] 


EAR this, all you peoples; 
Give heed, all you dwellers in the world, 

Sons of men, and all mankind, 
Both rich and poor. 
3 My mouth speaks wisdom, 
And my heart’s meditation is insight. 
I incline my ear to a proverb; 
I solve my riddle on the lyre. 


i=) 


aN 


Why should I fear in days of trouble, 
When the guilt of my foes surrounds me, | 
6 Those who trust in their wealth, 

And boast of the abundance of their riches. 
7 But no man can at all ransom himself, 
Or give a price for himself to God; 
For the ransom of the person 1s too costly, 
That he should let go forever; 
g And that one should again live forever, 
Not seeing the pit. 


Ww 


oo 


10 Indeed, he sees it! Wise men die; 
Both fool and brutish perish; 
And they leave their wealth to others. 
11 Their graves are their houses forever, 
Their dwellings for one generation after another. 
They call lands by their own names. 
12 But man is an ox without understanding, 
He is like the beasts that perish. 


[ 76 | 


THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP 
13 This is the fate of those who are self-sufficient, 
And the end of those who are satisfied with their own 
words: 
14 Like sheep they are appointed to Sheol; 
Death shepherds them, and drives them on, 
Hurling them into the grave. 
Soon their form must decay; 
Sheol is their dwelling. 
15 But God will ransom me 
From the power of Sheol, when it seizes me. Selah 


16 Fear not when a man gets rich, 
When the splendor of his house increases; 
17 For he will take nothing with him when he dies; 
His splendor will not go down after him. 
18 For he would count himself fortunate with bare 
life, 
And will congratulate you because things are going 
well with you, 
19 Because you come up to the generation of his fathers, 
While he will never more see light. 
20 Man is an ox without understanding, 
He is like the beasts that perish. 


50 
THE ESSENCE OF WORSHIP 


[A PSALM OF ASAPH] 
HE God of gods, the Lord, spoke, 
And called the earth from the rising of the sun 
unto its setting. 
2 From Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shone forth. 


177] 


THE PSALMS 


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3 May our God come and not be silent! 
Fire devours before him; 
And round about him the storm rages terribly. 
4 He called to the heavens above, 
And to the earth, to judge his people. 
s‘Gather to me my saints, 
Who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 
6 Then the heavens declared his righteousness, 
That God was giving judgment. Selah 


7““Hear, O my people, and let me speak, 
Hear, O Israel, and let me witness against you. 
I am God, your God. 
8 Not because of your sacrifices do I rebuke you, 
For your burnt-offerings are constantly before me. 
9 I will take no yearling from your house, 
Nor ram from your folds. 
1o For all the beasts of the forests are mine, 
The cattle upon a thousand hills. 
11 I know every bird of the mountains, 
And whatsoever moves in the field is mine. 
12 If I were hungry I would not tell you; 
For mine is the world and everything therein. 
13 Will I eat the flesh of oxen, 
And drink the blood of goats? 
14 Sacrifice to God a thank-offering, 
And fulfil your vows to the Most High; 
1s And call upon me in the time of trouble; 
Then I will deliver you and you will honor me!” 


16 But to the wicked God says: 
“What right have you to recount my statutes, 
And to take my covenant upon your lips? 


[ 78 ] 


THE PLEA OF A PENITENT 
17 For you hate instruction, 
And you cast my words behind you! 
18 If you see a thief, you are friendly with him; 
And you make common cause with adulterers. 
1g Your mouth you charge with evil, 
And your tongue frames up deceit. 
20 You sit down and speak against your brother, 
Against the son of your mother you utter slander. 
21 These things you have done—and am [ to be silent? 
You thought that I was just like yourself! 
I will correct you and set it forth in your sight. 
22 Consider this then, O you who forget God; 
Lest I rend and there be no one to the rescue: 
23 He who offers thanksgiving honors me; 
And him who heeds the way, I will show God’s deliv- 


erance.”’ 


$i 
THE PLEA OF A PENITENT 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN 
NATHAN, THE PROPHET, CAME TO HIM, AFTER 
HE HAD VISITED BATHSHEBA| 


AVE pity on me, O God, in accordance with 
thy grace; 
In thy abundant mercy, wipe out my transgressions. 
2 Wash me thoroughly from my guilt, 
And cleanse me from my sin. 


3 For I know my transgressions, 
And my sin is ever before me. 

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, 
And done that which is evil in thy sight. 


[79 | 


THE PSALMS 
Inasmuch as thou art in the right when thou speakest, 
And pure when thou givest judgment; 
5 So in guilt was I begotten, 
And in sin did my mother conceive me. 


6 Verily thou dost delight in faithfulness, 
The confidence of wisdom thou dost make me know. 
7 Purge me with hyssop, that I may be clean; 
Wash me, that I may be whiter than snow. 
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; 
Let the bones which thou hast crushed rejoice. 
9 Hide thy face from my sins, 
And wipe out all my guilt. 


10 Create for me a clean heart, O God, 
And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

it Cast me not away from thy presence, 
And take not thy holy spirit from me. 


12 Restore to me the joy of thy deliverance, 
And sustain me with a willing spirit. 

13 Let me teach transgressors thy ways, 
That sinners may return unto thee. 


14 Rescue me from blood-guiltiness, O God, 
The God of my deliverance; 
That my tongue may sing aloud thy righteousness. 
15 O Lord, open thou my lips, 
That my mouth may declare thy praise. 
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice, 
And should I give burnt-offering thou wouldst not be 
pleased. 


[ 80 ] 


THE FATE OF THE WICKED 


17 The sacrifice of God is a broken spirit; 
A broken and a contrite heart, 
O God, thou wilt not despise. 


18 Do good in thy good will unto Zion; 
Build thou the walls of Jerusalem. 

19 Then wilt thou be pleased with right offerings, 
Burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering; 
Then will bullocks come up upon thy altar. 


52 
THE FATE OF THE WICKED 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A maskil OF DAVID, WHEN DOEG, 
THE EDOMITE, CAME AND TOLD SAUL AND SAID 
TO HIM: “DAVID HAS ENTERED THE HOUSE OF 
ABIMELECH ’ | 


HY do you boast of evil, O mighty man? 
The grace of God is all day long. 


2 Your tongue contrives guile, 
Like a sharp razor it works deceit. 
3 You love bad better than good, 
You would rather lie than tell the truth. Selah 


4 You love all destructive words, the deceitful tongue. 

5 But God will crush you forever; 
He will seize you and pluck you out of your tent, 
And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah 


6 The righteous will behold and be reverent; 
But at him they will laugh, saying, 
7°See the man who would not make God his stronghold, 
But trusted in the abundance of his riches, and was 
strong in his guile.” 


[ 81 ] 


THE PSALMS 
8 But I am like a green olive-tree in God’s house. 
I trust in the grace of God forever and ever. 
9 I will praise thee forever because thou hast done it; 
And in the presence of thy saints I will proclaim that 
thy name is good. 


53 
THE VINDICATION OF GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON M4HALATH; 
A maskil oF DAVID] 


HE fool said in his heart: “There is no God.” 
They acted basely; they did abominable things. 
There was none that did good. 
2 God looked forth from the heavens upon the children 
of men, 
To see if there were any that acted wisely, 
That sought after God. 
3 They had all gone astray and they had also done wrong. 
There was none that did good, 
No, not even one! 


4‘Do they know nothing, all the evildoers, 
Who eat up my people as they eat bread, 
But do not call upon God?” 
5 There were they in great terror, 
Where no terror had been. 
For God scattered the bones of him who besieged you. 
You brought them to shame, for God rejected them. 
6 Oh, that the deliverance of Israel would come from 
Zion! 
When God turns the captivity of his people, 


Jacob shall exult; Israel shall rejoice. 
[ 82 ] 


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THE TRIUMPH OF THE PIOUS 


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54 
THE TRIUMPH OF THE PIOUS 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: ON THE weginoth. Aa maskil or 
DAVID, WHEN THE ZIPHITES CAME AND SAID TO 
SAUL, “SURELY, DAVID IS IN HIDING WITH US” 


God, deliver me by thy name, 
And by thy power do me Justice. 
2 O God, hear my prayer; 
Give heed to the words of my mouth! 
3 For aliens have risen against me, 
And men of violence seek my life. 


They do not keep God before them. Selah 


4 Behold, God is my helper; 
The Lord 1s my supporter. 
5 He will requite the evil to my foes; 
In thy faithfulness, destroy them! 
6 With enthusiasm I will sacrifice to thee. 
I will praise thy name, O Lord, that it is good. 
7 For he has delivered me from every trouble; 
My eye has gloated over my foes. 


55 
A PROTEST TO GOD AGAINST 
THE WICKED 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: ON neginoth; 
A maskil oF DAVID] 


EAR my prayer, O God; 
And do not hide thyself from my entreaty. 
2 Give heed to me, and answer me! 
I am burdened with my complaint, and I am dis- 


tracted, 
[ 83 ] 


THE PSALMS 


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3 Because of the voice of the foe, 
Because of the cry of the wicked. 
For they bring trouble upon me, 
And they attack me with fury. 
4 My heart is in anguish within me, 
And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. 
5 Fear and trembling come upon me, 
And shudders overwhelm me. 
6 And I say, “Oh, that I had wings like a dove, 
That I might fly away and dwell in peace!” 
7 Lo, I would flee far away; 
I would lodge in the wilderness. Selah 
8 I would haste to my shelter, 
Faster than the stormy wind and the tempest. 


g Confuse, O Lord, and divide their tongues! 
For I have seen violence and strife in the town; 
10 Day and night they encircle her upon her walls, 
And trouble and toil are within her; 
tr Ruin is within her. 
Oppression and fraud do not depart from her market- 


place. 
12 For it is not an enemy who reviles me—so I could 
bear it; 
Nor does he who hates me magnify himself against 
me 


So I could hide myself from him; 
13 But you, my equal, my intimate friend. 
14 We held sweet converse together; 
We entered the house of God in the procession. 
15 Destruction will come upon them! 
They will go down alive to Sheol! 
For wickedness is in their habitation, within them. 


[ 84] 


RR en ie 


spenmesoaenonen eases see: 


THE ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD 
16 But I shall call upon God, 
And the Lord will deliver me. 
17 Evening, morning, and at noon 
I will sigh and moan; and he will hear my voice. 
18 He will rescue me in peace from the fight against me; 
Though many there be against me: 
19 Ishmael and Jaleam and all the dwellers of the East, 
To whom oaths are nothing; 
Nor do they fear God. 
20 He put forth his hand with his allies, 
But violated his treaty! 
21 His mouth was smoother than butter, 
While war was in his heart; 
Softer than oil were his words, 
But they were drawn swords. 


22 Cast your burden upon the Lord, 
And he will sustain you. 
He will never let the righteous totter. 
23 But thou, O God, wilt bring them down into the pit of 
destruction; 
Men of blood and fraud will not live out half their days. 
So I will trust in thee. 


56 
THE ALL-SUFFICIENT GOD 
[FOR THE. DIRECTOR? ACCORDING TO. VTHE .DOVE OF 


DISTANT TEREBINTHS; A miktam OF DAVID, 
WHEN THE PHILISTINES SEIZED HIM IN GATH| 


ITY me, O God, for man tramples upon me; 
All day long the adversary oppresses me; 
2 My foes are trampling upon me all day long. 
For many there be fighting against me. 


[85] 


THE PSALMS 
3 Far away is the day when J fear, 
For I trust in thee. 
4 In God—I praise his word— 
In God do I trust without fear. 
What can flesh do unto me? 


s All day long they trouble my affairs; 
All their purposes are against me for evil. 
6 They make attacks, they lie in wait, they watch my 
steps, 
Inasmuch as they wait for my life. 
7 For their crimes recompense them; 
In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 
8 My misery thou hast reckoned; 
Put thou my tears in thy bottle! 
Are they not in thy book? 
g Then my enemies will be turned backward, 
In the day when I call. 
This I know, that God is for me. 
10 In God—I praise his word— 
In the Lord—I praise his word— 
11 In God I trust without fear. 
What can man do unto me? 


12 Upon me, O God, are thy vows; 
I will fulfil them with praises to thee. 

13 For thou hast rescued me from death; 
Hast thou not saved my feet from stumbling, 
So that I walk before God in the light of life? 


[ 86 | 


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oO 


co 


TRUST IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLES 


EOEAUAN TONAL PSERSSOUTETD DDOEE EE DSOOEDOEDIEDONEDOSEDSTTADSAUOE DET DOLONOREDEIDAIGOOOTRELASEOESEHDORDODOEEDED I OSASMONSAONENSNONSE ONO EE 01 0ROU Meee eneeneesoomen ae 


57 


TRUST IN THE MIDST OF 
TROUBLES 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: “DESTROY NOT.” A 
miktam OF DAVID, WHEN HE FLED 
FROM SAUL INTO THE CAVE| 


AVE pity on me, O God; have pity on me; 
For in thee I am taking refuge; 

And in the shadow of thy wings I take refuge, 
Until ruin pass over. 
I shall cry unto God, Most High, 
To the God who rewards me. 
He will send forth from the heavens and deliver me. 
Hewill bring to shame him who tramples upon me. Selah 
God will send forth his grace and his faithfulness. 
In the midst of lions that devour I must dwell, 
Men whose teeth are a spear and arrows, 
And their tongue a sharp sword. 
Exalt thyself above the heavens, O God; 
Let thy glory be over all the earth. 


They have spread a net for my footsteps; 

I am bowed down; 

They dug a pit before me; 

They fell into the midst of it. Selah 
My heart is steadfast, O God, 

My heart is steadfast. 

I will sing and play. 

Awake, my glory! 

Awake, lute and lyre! 

T will awaken the dawn! 


[ 87 ] 


THE PSALMS 
9 I will praise thee among the peoples, O Lord; 
I will play to thee among the nations. 
10 For thy grace is great unto the heavens, 
And thy faithfulness unto the clouds. 
11 Arise above the heavens, O God! 
Let thy glory be over all the earth! 


58 
THE WICKED AND THEIR 
DESTRUCTION 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: “‘DO NOT DESTROY.” 
A miktam OF DAVID] 


O YOU really speak what is right, O gods? 
Do you judge mankind impartially? 
2 Nay, but in the heart you work wickedness, 
And on earth your hands weave violence. 
3 The wicked go astray from the womb; 
They wander from birth, speakers of lies. 
4 Their venom 1s like a serpent’s venom, 
Like a deaf adder that stops its ear, 
5 So that it hears not the voice of the charmer, 
The most skilful weaver of spells. 


6 O God, break their teeth in their mouth! 
Knock out the fangs of the lions, O Lord! 
7 May they disappear like water which runs off, 
Like tender grass which wilts away, 
8 Like the snail which passes away in slime; 
Like the untimely birth of a woman, not seen by the 
sun. 
9 Before your pots feel the thorns, 
Whether green or burning, may he blow it away. 


[ 88 ] 


A PRAYER FOR RESCUE FROM THE WICKED 


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10 The righteous will rejoice that he has seen vengeance; 
He will wash his footsteps in the blood of the wicked. 
11 And men will say, ““There certainly is a reward for the 
righteous; 
There certainly is a God who judges on earth.” 


59 
A PRAYER FOR RESCUE FROM 
THE WICKED 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: “DO NOT DESTROY.” A miktam 


OF DAVID, WHEN SAUL SENT FORTH AND THEY 
WATCHED THE HOUSE TO PUT HIM TO DEATH] 


> 


ESCUE me from my enemies, O my God! 
Protect me from those who rise up together 
against me. 
2 Rescue me from malefactors, 
And from bloodthirsty men deliver me. 


3 For lo, they lie in wait for me, 
Mighty men are making attack upon me, 
Without transgression or sin of mine, O Lord; 
4 For no guilt of mine, they run and get themselves ready. 


Arise to meet me, and see! 

5 Do thou, O Lord, God of Hosts, God of Israel, 
Awake, to visit all the nations! 
Have no pity upon any of the wicked deceivers. Selah 


6 They keep howling like dogs in the evening; 
And they encircle the city. 

7 Behold, they bark with their mouths; 
Swords are in their lips; 
But who hears them? 


[ 89 ] 


THE PSALMS 
8 For thou, O Lord, dost laugh at them, 
Thou dost hold all the nations in scorn. 
g My Strength, for thee do I watch; 
For God is my fortress. 


10 My God will let his grace go before me. 
God will let me gloat over my foes. 

11 Slay them not, lest my people forget. 
Shake them by thy power, and bring them down, 
O Lord, our shield. 


12 By the sin of their mouth, the word of their lips, 
May they be caught in their pride. 
And for the curses and lies which they utter, 
13 Destroy them in wrath, destroy them that they be no 
more, 
That they may know that God is ruling in Jacob, 
Unto the ends of the earth. Selah 


14 They keep howling like dogs in the evening, 
And they encircle the city. 

15 They wander about to devour; 
If they are not satisfied, they grumble. 


16 But I will sing of thy strength; 
I will extol thy grace in the morning. 
For thou hast been a fortress for me, 
And a refuge in the day of my danger. 
17 My Strength, I will sing praises unto thee; 
For God is my fortress, my gracious God. 


[ 9° ] 


A PRAYER FOR DELI VERANCE © 


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60 
A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON shushan eduth; a miktam 
OF DAVID, TO TEACH; WHEN HE STROVE WITH 
ARAM OF THE TWO RIVERS AND ARAM-ZOBAH, 
AND JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE OF EDOM IN THE 
VALLEY OF SALT TWELVE THOUSAND] 


GOD, thou hast spurned us, thou hast broken us; 
Thou hast been angry, and hast turned against 
us. 
2 Thou hast made the earth quake, thou hast rent it. 
Heal its wounds; for it staggers. 
3 Thou hast made thy people see hardship; 


Thou hast made us drink intoxicating wine. 


4 Thou hast given a standard to those who fear thee, 
To which they may flee from before the bow, Selah 
5 That thy loved ones may be rescued; 
Give victory by thy right hand and answer us. 


6 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 

“T will exult; I will divide Shechem, 
And measure off the valley of Succoth. 

7 Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine, 
And Ephraim is the defense of my head; 
Judah is my scepter. 

8 Moab is my washbow]; 

Upon Edom I cast my sandal; 
Over Philistia I raise the shout of victory. 

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city? 
Who will lead me to Edom?” 


[gt | 


THE PSALMS 
10 Hast not thou, O God, rejected us? 
And thou goest not forth, O God, with our armies. 
x1 Give us aid against the foe, 
For futile is the help of man. 
12 Through God we shall do valiantly, 


For he will tread down our foes. 


61 
A PRAYER OF ASSURANCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: TO STRING-MUSIC. 
OF DAVID] 


EAR my cry, O God! 
Give ear to my prayer! 
2 From the end of the earth I cry unto thee, 
When my heart faints. 
Upon a rock that is too high for me thou wilt set me. 
3 For thou hast been my refuge, 
A tower of strength against the foe. 
4 Let me dwell in thy tent forever; 
Let me find refuge in the covert of thy wings. 


5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows; 
Thou hast granted the wish of those who fear thy name. 
6 Thou wilt add days unto the king’s days; 
His years will be as generation on generation. 
7 He will dwell forever before God. 
Charge grace and fidelity that they protect him. 
8 So will I sing praises to thy name forever, 


Fulfilling my vows day by day. 
[ 92] 


AN UNSHAKEN FAITH 


UEPEC MEAL UEGAAMAU AEA ENOEAEREASIAAAEAADAA RO DABEDAESASERDDERDOEERAL! AANPAAMAEDOEEDEL AEUT LAE RED HEELESURA DEN EHEOD ERNEST ALG: 





62 
AN UNSHAKEN FAITH 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON Feduthun; 
A PSALM OF DAVID] 


O GOD alone would I silently submit myself; 
From him is my deliverance. 
2 He only is my rock and my deliverance, 
My fortress; I shall not be roughly shaken. 
3 For how long will you set upon a man 
That you may murder him, all of you, 
Like a leaning fence, like a fallen wall? 
4 From his height they plan but to hurl him down; 
They delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, 
But in their hearts they curse. Selah 


5 To God alone would I silently submit myself; 
For from him is my hope. 
6 He alone is my rock and my deliverance, 
My fortress; I shall not be shaken. 
7 Upon God rests my salvation and my glory; 
My mighty rock, my refuge is in God. 
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; 
Pour out your heart before him. 
God is our refuge. Selah 


g A mere illusion are the sons of Adam, 
The sons of men are a fraud; 
If put in the scales they are lighter than a mere breath. 
1o Trust not in oppression, and put no vain hope in 
robbery. 
If wealth increase, set not your heart upon it. 


[ 93 | 


THE PSALMS 


{LUCA IENIITERASAAADENAS DAD ARNAOAAAGASORIAEOYONLOS\OOUEGULLSAINANALSLAMRLALNALOLAESAAONSAOALUH4sUEINOLADAOSEADASDEDELSIEFOOOEEFOAEDLEOESSELOUDESLEEESASUSUGIOASILDEBLFIMEGSARAGLAOSSASASCADEUGHONOOCAGA 4nOGLII/4AE+4// AELELEREDUE SSTSOSASASEAEAISOENESSOLEOEUA NDEEDEANNASAMANECIONED 


11 One thing has God said; 
Two things are those that I have heard: 
That power belongs to God; 
12 And grace, O Lord, is thine; 
For thou dost requite a man according to his work. 


63 
FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP 


[A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN 
THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH] 


GOD, thou art my God; I seek for thee; 
My spirit thirsts for thee; my flesh yearns for 
thee, 
As in a dry and parched land where no water is; 
2 So have I beheld thee in the sanctuary, 
While seeing thy power and thy glory. 
3 Because thy grace is better than life, 
My lips do praise thee. 
4 So shall I bless thee as long as I live; 
In thy name I shall raise my hands. 
s As with marrow and fatness my desire is satisfied, 
And my mouth praises thee with jubilant lips, 
6 When I remember thee upon my couch, 
And meditate on thee in the night-watches. 
7 For thou hast been my help; 
And in the shadow of thy wings I shout for joy. 
8 I have clung close to thee, 
Thy right hand has sustained me. 
g And they who seek my life to destroy it, 
Shall go into the lowest depths of the earth, 


L 94 | 


WAYS OF THE WICKED AND THE WAY OF GOD 
10 They shall be given over to the edge of the sword, 
They shall become the portion of jackals. 
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; 
Everyone who swears by him shall sing praises; 
For the mouth of liars shall be closed. 


64 
THE WAYS OF THE WICKED 
AND THE WAY OF GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


EAR my voice, O God, when I complain; 
From terror of the foe, protect my life. 
2 Hide me from the council of evildoers, 
From the commotion of wrongdoers, 
3 Who whet their tongue like a sword; 
They fit their arrow, a bitter word, 
4 To shoot, in concealment, at the innocent. 
Suddenly, they shoot him and are not afraid. 
5 They strengthen for themselves a wicked scheme; 
They talk of laying snares secretly; 
They say, “Who will see them?” 
6 They search out wicked plans; 
They conceal a well-devised device; 
For the inner man and the heart are deep. 


7 Then God shoots them with his arrow; 
Suddenly their wounds are there; 
8 And they cause their tongue to stumble for them. 
All who look at them wag the head; 
g And all men fear, 
And tell of the deed of God, 
And understand his work. 


[95] 


THE PSALMS 
10 The righteous rejoices in the Lord and takes refuge 
in him; 
And all the upright in heart sing praises. 


65 
THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF 
DAVID; A SONG| 


RAISE befits thee, O God, in Zion; 
And unto thee is the vow fulfilled. 
2 O thou that hearest prayer, 
Unto thee do all flesh come. 
3 If deeds of guilt are too strong for me, 
Thou dost wipe out our transgressions. 


4 How happy is he whom thou dost choose and permit 
to dwell in thy courts. 
We are satisfied with the goodness of thy house, 
thy holy temple. 
s Through terrible deeds thou dost answer us in vindica- 
tion, 
O God of our deliverance; 
Thou confidence of all the ends of the earth, 
and the faraway islands. 
6 He who prepared the mountains by his strength 
is girded with power. 


7 O thou who dost assuage the roar of the seas, 
The roar of their waves and the uproar of peoples, 
8 Those who dwell in the far regions are afraid of thy 
tokens; 


[ 96 ] 


A HYMN OF GRATITUDE 


Thou makest the dawn and the sunset to shout with 
joy. 
g Thou visitest the land and makest it overflow; 
Thou greatly enrichest it. 
Through the brook of God, which is full of water, 
Thou preparest their grain; for thus dost thou pre- 
pare it: 
to Thou dost abundantly water its furrows; thou dost 
make its buds swell; 
With showers thou dost soften it; 
Its young growth thou dost bless. 
11 Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, 
And thy paths drip fatness. 
12 The meadows of the steppe drip, 
And the hills gird themselves with joy. 
13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; 
And the valleys are covered with grain; 
They shout for joy; indeed, they sing! 


66 
A HYMN OF GRATITUDE 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A SONG, A PSALM] 


AKE a joyous shout to God, all the earth; 

2 Praise the glory of his name; 

Make his praise glorious! 
3 Say to God: “How awful is thy work! 

Because of thy great power thy foes fawn upon thee! 
4 All the earth worships thee, 

And sings praises to thee, singing the praises of thy 

name.” Selah 


[97] 


THE PSALMS 
s Come and see the works of God, 
Awful in deeds against mankind. 
6 He changed the sea into dry land, 
So they passed through the river on foot. 
There we rejoiced in him. 
7 He rules by his power forever; 
His eyes watch over the nations. 
Let not the adversaries exalt themselves. 


8 Bless our God, O peoples; 
And sound abroad the praise of him 
g Who has kept us among the living, 
And has not suffered our feet to stumble. 
10 For thou hast tested us, O God; 
Thou hast refined us as silver is refined. 


11 Thou didst bring us into the net; 
Thou didst lay a heavy load upon our loins. 
12 Thou didst let men ride over our heads; 
We went through fire and water; 
But thou hast brought us forth to a spacious place. 


13 I will enter thy house with offerings, 
I will fulfil to thee the vows 
14 Which my lips have expressed, 
And my mouth has spoken when I was in trouble. 
15 Burnt-offerings of fatlings I will offer to thee, 
Together with the savory smoke of rams. 
I will prepare an ox and he-goats. Selah 


16 Come, listen, all you who revere God, 


While I tell what he has done for me. 
[93 ] 


A PRAYER FOR GOD’S BLESSING 


EN ENENTUNNTUELDETEETAGETEREENTTTEDEDHETEREESORERTERS EVE PET OTETTD EYED EEYETD PWN PTT EDOREETERYETONOTITETRRETETETE PPT T ERE rit eRereD eer te: he NNER PvE RE PEDO TE DPE re: OOnOesenentnTNnaNtntenerennanner renee 


17 Unto him did I cry with my mouth, 
And I was raised from under my foes. 

18 Had I cherished deceit in my heart, 
The Lord would not have heard. 

19 But God did hear: 


He gave heed to my prayerful voice. 


20 Blessed be God, 
Who did not reject my prayer, 
Nor turn away his grace from me. 


67 
A PRAYER FOR GOD’S BLESSING 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: WITH STRING 
MUSIC; A PSALM, A SONG| 


AY God be merciful unto us and bless us, 
And cause his face to shine upon us! = Selah 
2 That thy way may be known in the earth, 
Thy salvation among all nations, 
3 Let the peoples praise thee, O God, 
Let all the peoples praise thee. 


4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, 
Because thou judgest the peoples justly, 
And leadest the nations in the earth. 

5 Let the peoples praise thee, O God; 

Let all the peoples praise thee! 


6 Earth has yielded her increase. 
May God, our own God, bless us! 
7 May God bless us; 
And may all the ends of the earth fear him! 


[99 | 


THE PSALMS 


HOPEREUEPEOD ERED AACHOR EUUNEVEEDYEE ON ESEND SPLOT OT OTCLECECEDELEL EDD CUNT OSCTUEROPUEPCECEETOSUAUEDOOEECERREREFECHOOLIUOUDS EEPRRAPEREEECS COON UAOESEAEROAERUDEUU CLAS ERCEHEUECUEPOREESEA GA TRO SERESEGOSONEURED CLUFERDENEAONINTOOD UOT ORREEEHERE ET EROOTEOTERECEEFEREEEEOSNEADNNONYTOREFEDESWRNOOO PORE 


68 
THE MIGHT AND GLORY OF GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF DAVID; 
A PSALM, A SONG] 


AY God arise! May his foes be scattered! 
And may those that hate him flee before him! 

2 As smoke is driven away by the wind, 

As wax melts before the fire, 

So do the wicked perish from before God. 
3 But the righteous rejoice; 

They exult before God; 

And they are jubilant with joy. 


4 Sing unto God; praise his name! 
Extol him who rides upon the storm-clouds, 
Whose name is Yah, and exult before him! 

5 A father to the fatherless and the judge of widows 
Is God in his holy dwelling. 

6 God brings home the desolate; 
He leads prisoners forth into prosperity. 
Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 


7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, 
When thou didst march through the desert, 
8 The earth quaked, the heavens also poured down at 
the presence of God; 
Even yon Sinai, at the presence of God, Israel’s God. 
g A copious rain didst thou pour down, O God; 
Thy exhausted and wornout land thou didst re-estab- 
lish. 
10 Thy flock dwelt therein. 
Thou didst prepare it in thy goodness for the poor, 
O God. 


| 100 | 


THE MIGHT AND GLORY OF GOD 
11 The Lord gave the command: 
The messengers were a great host. 
12 Kings of hosts fled, they fled! 
The women divided the spoil: 
13 (Did you lie among the sheepfolds ?) 
The wings of a dove covered with silver, 
And its pinions with glittering gold. 
14 When the Almighty scattered the kings therein, 
It was snowing in Zalmon. 


15 O mighty mountain, O Mount Bashan; 
O many-peaked mountain, O Mount Bashan; 
16 Why, O many-peaked mountains, do you envy 
The mountain that God has desired for his abode? 
Yet the Lord will dwell there forever. 
17 The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon 
thousands. 
The Lord came from Sinai into the sanctuary. 


18 Thou hast ascended on high; thou hast carried away 
captives; 
Thou hast taken tribute of men, 
And, indeed, rebels, that the Lord God may dwell there. 
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden; Selah 
The God who is our salvation; 
20 The God who is our saving God; 
And unto God, the Lord, belong the exits to death. 


21 God will surely crush the head of his foes, 
The skull of Seir who goes on in his guilt. 

22 The Lord said, “I will bring them back from Bashan, 
I will bring them back from the depths of the sea; 

23 That your foot may bathe in blood, 
And the tongue of your dogs have its share of your foes.” 


[ ror | 


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2 


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2 


2 


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2 


29 


30 


33 


THE PSALMS 


A NUSESERSSES SOEUEAARERSESAS GAAALAADEBEANAS SARI PEADAENSE DELS LAAN SELL GOOLSAAGLAAAASA COREA ME AOLSEN A LEDGE OLOESOEDPELLEEDELELUOPEEELDEINON NE PESU ERED ES se eeestEne WOLGLOUSODSSASGISUSILEDGLOOSESHOUUSSESSESISSSSESASESSEOSSSOESESSSDOSESESNSESR SES SORONSODURUESED 


Thy processions are seen, O God, 


The processions of my God, my King, in the sanctuary. 


Singers lead; at the rear, the stringed instruments; 
In the middle, maidens playing timbrels. 

In choirs, they bless God, 

The Lord, those from Israel’s fountain. 

There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them; 

The princes of Judah in a throng, 

The princes of Zebulon, and the princes of Naphtali. 


Command thy strength, O God; 

Be strong, O God, thou who hast wrought for us. 
From thy temple, for Jerusalem, 

When kings bring gifts to thee, 

Threaten the beasts bearing cane, 

The herd of bulls, with calves of the peoples, 
Because they cling to idols of silver; 

Scatter the peoples that delight in wars. 


Let messengers come from Egypt; 

Let Ethiopia eagerly stretch forth her hands to God. 
Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. 

Make music to the Lord, Selah 
To him who rides upon the most ancient heavens. 
Lo, he utters his voice, a mighty voice! 

Ascribe power unto God! 

Over Israel is his majesty, 

And his power is in the clouds. 


Terrible art thou, O God, from thy sanctuary. 
Unto Israel he gives power, 


And strength to the people that is blessed of God. 


[ 102 | 


AN IMPRECATORY PSALM 
69 
AN IMPRECATORY PSALM 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON LILIES; OF DAVID] 


AVE me, O God, 
For the water mounts to my life. 

2 I am sunk in deep mire, 
where there is no foothold. 

3 I have got into deep water, 
and the flood overwhelms me. 

4 I am worn out by my crying, my throat is parched. 

My eyes fail with waiting for my God. 


5 More numerous than the hairs of my head 
are they that hate me without cause. 
Many are they that would destroy me, 
my enemies wrongfully. 
What I did not steal, forsooth, I must restore! 


6 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; 
And my guilt is not hidden from thee! 
7 May they who hope in thee not be put to shame 
through me, 
O Lord, God of hosts. 
May they who seek thee not be brought to 
disgrace through me, 
O God of Israel. 
8 For because of thee I bear reproach, 
Dishonor covers my face. 


9 I have become a stranger to my brothers, 
An alien to my mother’s sons. 
10 For zeal for thy house has eaten me up; 
And the abuse of them that abuse thee has fallen on me. 


[ 103 | 


THE PSALMS 
11 When IJ afflict myself by fasting, 
It becomes my reproach. 
12 If J assume sackcloth as my clothing, 
I become a joke to them. 
13 They who sit in the gate talk of me; 
And I have become the song of the drunkards. 


14 But my prayer unto thee, O Lord, is for an acceptable 
time; 
O God, in thy plenteous grace, 
Answer me with thy saving faithfulness. 
1s Rescue me from the mire that I sink not; 
Let me be delivered from my enemies and from the 
deep water; 
16 Let not the flood of water overwhelm me; 
Let not the depths swallow me up; 
And let not the pit close its mouth upon me. 


17 Answer me, O Lord, for thy grace is good; 

In accordance with thy plenteous mercy turn to me! 
18 And do not hide thy face from thy servant; 

For I am in trouble; answer me quickly! 
19 Fight for me and deliver me; 

Because of my enemies, release me. 


20 Thou knowest my abuse, | 
And my shame and disgrace; } 
All my foes are before thee. | 

21 Abuse breaks my heart and I am sick; 

And I look for sympathy, but there is none; 
And for comforters, but I find none. 

22 And they put poison in my food, 

And give me vinegar to drink for my thirst. 


[ 104 ] 


AN IMPRECATORY PSALM 


23 May their table become a snare before them, 
And their peace-offerings a trap. 

24 May their eyes be so darkened that they cannot see, 
And make their loins tremble constantly. 

25 Pour out upon them thy wrath, 
And let thy hot anger overtake them. 

26 May their encampment be a waste; 
In their tents may there be no inhabitant. 

27 For him whom thou hast smitten they persecute, 
And unto the pain of thy victims they add. 

28 Add guilt to their guilt, 
And let them not enter into thy justification. 

29 May they be blotted out from the book of life, 
And not be inscribed among the righteous. 


30 But as for me, though afflicted and in pain, 
Thy salvation, O God, will set me on high. 

31 I will praise the name of God in song, 
And I will magnify him with thanksgiving; 

32 And that will please the Lord more than an ox, 
Or a bullock with horns and hoofs. 


33 Behold, O you humble, and be glad! 
O you who seek God, let your heart revive! 
34 For the Lord listens to the needy, 
And does not despise his prisoners. 
35 The heavens and the earth will praise him, 
The sea and all that stirs therein; 
36 Because God delivers Zion, 
And rebuilds the cities of Judah, 
So that they dwell there and take possession; 
37 And the descendants of his servants inherit it, 
And those loving his name shall dwell therein. 


[ 105 ] 


THE PSALMS 


UOOUUEL DOE UT COOP CULE PERD PEED EER EP ERAT EHEES ECEENERSPEUEOONDFECHUEEDNEACEECERERSESET#RERELER  POPECAESUREROEDEAUEN SSAA DO EECOLOREDSOSTACULAA DELO RELERED Ce CONEAUREADS EREENRECERREEOOOEALU RI NYNTONREDNTP ITAA SAOALCETESEAEEPTONN ETON AU EEREREAELONOROCENERETATRNERE CATT TocRen quan OREN REREN® 


7° 
A PRAYER FOR THE HELP 
OF GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF DAVID; TO MAKE 
A MEMORIAL] 


E PLEASED, O God, to rescue me! 
Hasten to my help, O Lord! 
2 May they be put to shame and disgraced who seek my 
life! 


May they be driven back and routed who wish me evil! 


3 May they be appalled because of their shame, 
Who say, “Aha! Aha!” 
4 May they rejoice and be glad in thee, 
all who seek thee! 
And may they constantly say, “Great is God,” 
who love thy deliverance. 


5 But I am afflicted and needy; 
O God, hasten to me! 
Thou art my help and my deliverer; 
O Lord, do not tarry! 


71 
A PRAYER FOR AID AGAINST 
THE FOE 


N THEE, O Lord, have I found refuge; 
May I never be put to shame! 
2 In thy righteousness, rescue me and deliver me! 
Incline thy ear unto me and save me! 


[ 106 | 


4A PRAYER FOR AID AGAINST THE FOE 


ShONEUS CNN OTOEEREEEERENEOED OND OEDEREDESSEDESEESEOOVORIUCDEIME EAGEAESEDEDOARSPOTOEOS OEE EERESENS SPORE EOOLESE 


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Io 


— 
i 


Become unto me a rock of refuge, 

To which I may always resort. 

Thou hast given command to save me; 
For thou art my rock and my fortress. 


O my God, deliver me from the hand of the wicked, 
From the fist of the evildoer and the violent! 
For thou hast been my hope, O Lord God, 
my confidence from my youth: 
Upon thee have I leaned from birth; 
From my mother’s womb thou hast been my stay. 
In thee is my hope continually. 
Like a portent have I been to many; 
But thou art my strong refuge. 
My mouth is filled with thy praise 
And thy beauty all day long. 


Do not cast me off in my old age; 

When my strength fails, do not forsake me! 

For my foes say concerning me, 

And those who watch for my life make plans also, 


Saying, “God has abandoned him. 

Pursue and seize him; for there is no one to rescue him.”’ 
O God, be not far from me! 

Hasten, O my God, to my help! 


May they be put to shame and destroyed who are 


hostile to me; 
May they be covered with abuse and disgrace who 
seek to injure me! 


14 But I will hope continually, 


And will add more to all thy praise. 
[ 107 ] 


NVAESTAETUNOENETEN DON DETHEET REA SESEECEDE POON ONONTT INS DIOTTOUTOOEAEOROEDOADNAONERREDDFEDETES TY AOGEDAIEUREEAEINL IT TOO DEETESTITVT DENT CDOPOEFERLELONSERETOOETEOG ERED DOLEENAUAEESEUEOSY ORIN SEEEFUSUNNATIUTIIODESESETENADNODEESEDEREREEEDINSHUNOOINS SERED ERSEEAESSESNSOENSPERRETEOR ENTS 


THE PSALMS 


15 My mouth will relate thy righteousness, 
And thy deeds of deliverance all day long; 
For were I skilled in writing, 

16 And should I reach an advanced age, O Lord God, 
I could record thy righteousness only. 


17 O God, thou hast taught me from my youth until now; 
I declare thy wonders. 
18 Even up to old age and gray hairs do not forsake me, 
O God; 
So that I may tell of thy mighty arm to the generations, 
To all that are to come. 


19 Thy power and thy righteousness 
Extend, O God, unto the high heavens. 
Thou who hast done great things, 

O God, who 1s like thee? 


20 O thou who hast made us see many dangers and 
disasters 
Do thou quicken us again, 
And from the depths of the earth bring us up again. 
21 Do thou increase my greatness, 
And turn and comfort me! 


22 I also will praise thee with the lyre, 
I will chant thy faithfulness, O my God, with the harp, 
O thou holy one of Israel. 


My lips shall joyfully shout when J make music unto 
thee, 

And my life which thou hast redeemed. 

24 a tongue, too, shall tell of thy righteousness all day 
ong; 

For they shall be put to shame, they shall be dis- 


graced, who sought to do me harm. 
[ 108 ] 


2 


iS%) 





LONG LIVE THE KING! 


NA AEAOEAAASENSOUDIUALANTUESERSED ES OROOAUOAAESANROSOLONUOLAIAOUSEPAAGEDEDADS LL EBODEDESEEONAEDEREADOSAON ORACULIONASEDEADUADOIIOCOEESIS LAGU Fes 0 EEE ONADEDELABEEDLOGU DOSE SERPE EE DOOEDECeONONE: 


72 
LONG LIVE THE KING! 


[OF SOLOMON] 


IVE the king thy justice, O God, 
And thy righteousness to the king’s son, 
2 That he may judge thy people with right, 
And thine afflicted with justice! 


3 May the mountains bring the people peace, 
And the hills righteousness! 

4 May he judge the afflicted of the people, 
And give deliverance to the poor, 
And crush the oppressor! 


5 May he live as long as the sun, 
And as long as the moon, for one generation after 
another! 
6 May he descend like rain upon the mown grass, 
Like showers that water the earth. 


7 May the righteous flourish in his days, 

And may peace abound, till the moon be no more! 
8 May he rule from sea to sea, 

And from the river to the ends of the earth! 


9 Before him may foes bend low, 
And his enemies lick the dust! 
10 May the kings of Tarshish and the isles 
return tribute, 
The kings of Sheba and Seba 
bring gifts! 
11 And may all kings do obeisance to him, 
All nations serve him! 


[ 109 | 


Ae nsansnapanasanssasacess 


I2 


TS 


14 


THE PSALMS 


Lung eARASANdUPERNEDSANAKERAAALESESGESADOEEOEAEDSOREEENES 
Abeaanensnessssanenrucevssesssenensssnersensassssnsssonsnoossss nenseensseesOsAsds4RenesECAS4KHEAOUSOOSLAEDOOELEOEGQGOOEHSISUNEDUORERGEDODEDEEUDDAEUGLSBEDINAADEDLGLOGGSENEOEA¥EOALOQUADIGUSQULANENUNSEDSOEAGLuQGENGHEREEDTANEDLONGLENEUSOSAAELSERAIRALIOLAUIIREIBEDEG 


For he rescues the needy when he calls for help; 
And the afflicted who has no helper. 

He takes pity upon the poor and needy, 

And saves the life of the poor. 

From oppression and violence he ransoms them; 
And precious is their blood in his eyes. 


So, may he live and be given of the gold of Sheba; 

And may men pray for him constantly; 

All day long may they bless him! 

May there be abundance of grain in the land; 

On mountain tops may its fruit shake like Lebanon; 

And may those from the cities blossom like the grass 
of the earth! 


May his name endure forever! 

As long as the sun may his name abide! 
May men bless themselves in him! 
May all nations call him blessed! 


Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, 

Who alone does great wonders! 

And blessed be his glorious name forever! 

And may the whole earth be filled with his glory! 


Amen and amen! 


The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended. 


| 110 | 





BOOK III 
PSS. 73-89 


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rf: 
FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD 


[A PSALM OF ASAPH] 


URELY, God is good to Israel, 
To those who are pure in heart. 
2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone, 
My steps had well-nigh slipped. 
3 For I was incensed at fools, 
As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 


4 For they have no pangs; 
Sound and healthy is their body. 

s In trouble, like other men, they are not; 
Nor are they plagued like others. 

6 Hence pride is their necklace; 
A robe of violence covers them. 


7 Their eye goes forth beyond the best, 
They transcend the imaginations of the heart. 

8 They mock and speak in wickedness; 
Oppression from on high they speak. 

g They have set their mouth in the heavens, 
And their tongue ranges the earth. 


10 Therefore they are satisfied with their own folly, 
And suck themselves full of water of deceit. 

11 And they say, “How can God know? 
And is their knowledge in the Most High?” 

12 Lo, such are the wicked! 
And in perpetual ease they amass wealth. 


[ 113 ] 


THE PSALMS 
13 All to no purpose have I kept my heart pure, 
And washed my hands in innocence. 
14 For I have been smitten all day long, 
And chastened every morning. 


15 If I had said, “I will speak thus’; 
I should have, indeed, betrayed the generation of thy 
children. 
16 But when I thought in order to understand this, 
It was in my sight a troublesome task, 
17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; 
Then I perceived their future lot. 


18 Surely thou settest them in slippery places; 
Thou dost hurl them down to ruin. 
19 How they become a desolation as in a moment, 
Are swept away, are destroyed through horrors! 
20 As a dream is scattered when one awakes, 
So, when thou dost bestir thyself, thou wilt set at 
nought their fancies. 


When my heart was stirred up, 

And my feelings were aroused, 

22 Then I was stupid and knew nothing; 
A brute was I toward thee! 


2 


e 


23 Yet I am always with thee; 
Thou holdest my right hand. 
24 By thy counsel thou leadest me; 
And by the hand thou dost take me after thee. 


25 Whom have I in the heavens but thee? 
And having thee, I wish nought else on earth. 
26 My flesh and my heart fail; 


But my heart’s rock and my portion is God forever. 


[114] 


_AN APPEAL TO GOD AGAINS LH ANDALS 
27 For lo, those far from thee will perish. 

Thou destroyest all that are unfaithful to thee. 
28 But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; 

I put my reliance upon the Lord God; 

That I may recount all thy wonders. 


74 


AN APPEAL TO GOD AGAINST 
VANDALS 


[A maskil OF ASAPH] 


HEREFORE, O God, hast thou cast us off for- 
ever? 
Wherefore does thy anger smoke against the flock of 
thy pasture? 
2 Remember thy community which thou didst obtain of 
old, 
Which thou didst redeem as the tribe of thy inheritance, 
Mount Zion wherein thou hast dwelt. 


3 Lift up thy footsteps unto the perpetual ruins. 

The enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary. 
4 Thy foes roar in the midst of thy assembly. 

They set up their own signs as signs. 


5 Let it be known; in the passage upward, 
The wooden trellis work with axes, 
6 And now its carvings also, 


With hatchet and adzes they smash. 


7 They have set thy sanctuary on fire; 
They have defiled to the ground the dwelling-place of 
thy name. 


[315 ] 


THE PSALMS 
8 They said in their heart, “We will Hellenize them also.” 
They burned all the assemblies of God in the land. 


9 Our signs we did not see. 
There was no longer a prophet. 
There was nobody among us that knew how long. 
10 How long, O God, shall the foe blaspheme? 
Shall the enemy revile thy name forever? 
11 Wherefore dost thou withdraw thy hand, 
And restrain thy right hand within thy bosom? 


12 God is my king from of old, 
Who wrought victory in the midst of the earth. 
13 Through thy power thou didst divide the sea; 
Thou didst crush the heads of the dragons upon the 
waters. 


14 Thou didst shatter the heads of Leviathan; 

Thou didst give him as food to the beasts of the desert. 
1s Thou didst cleave out fountain and brook; 

Thou didst dry up unfailing rivers. 


16 Day and night are both thine. 
Thou didst establish sun and moon. 
17 Thou didst fix all the bounds of the earth. 


Thou didst make both summer and winter. 


18 Recall this: the enemy blasphemed the Lord, 
And a reprobate people reviled thy name. 
19 Do not give to the wild beasts the life of thy turtle- 
dove. 1 
Do not forget the life of thy afflicted one forever. 


[ 116 | 


GOD AS FUDGE 
20 Have regard to the covenant; 
For the dark places of the land are full of the habita- 
tions of violence. 
21 Let not the crushed be again put to shame. 
May the poor and the needy praise thy name! 


22 Arise, O God; plead thine own cause; 
Remember thy reproach from the reprobate all the day 
long. 
23 Do not forget the voice of thy foes, 
The uproar of thy adversaries which continually 
ascends. 
yh 
GOD AS JUDGE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: DESTROY NOT. 
A PSALM OF ASAPH, A SONG] 
E GIVE thanks to thee, O God; we give thanks. 
And they who call upon thy name recount thy 
wonders. 


2‘‘When I take the appointed time, 
I shall judge with equity. 
3 The earth with all its inhabitants will melt away. 
It was I who established its pillars. Selah 


4‘I say to the boasters, ‘Do not boast’; 

And to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up the horn; 
5 Do not lift up your horn on high, 

Nor speak with an insolent neck.’ ”’ 


6 For not from the East, nor from the West, 

Nor yet from the steppe nor from the mountains— 
7 But God is the judge! 

He humbles one and exalts another. 


[117] 


THE PSALMS 
8 For the cup is in the hand of the Lord, 
With foaming wine, thoroughly mixed; 
And he pours out to one and another. 
Surely all the wicked of the earth 
Must drink and drain its dregs. 


g But I will forever rejoice, 
And sing the praise of the God of Jacob. 
10 For all the horns of the wicked he will break off, 
That the horns of the righteous may be exalted. 


76 
THE TERRIBLE ONE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: WITH STRING-MUSIC. 
A PSALM OF ASAPH, A SONG| 


N JUDAH is God known, 
His name is great in Israel. 
2 And his tent is in Salem, 
His dwelling in Zion. 
3 There did he break the fiery shafts of the bow, 
Shield, and sword, and battle. Selah 


4 Terrible art thou, mightier than a devouring lion; 
5 Devastated are the stout-hearted, 

They sleep their sleep. 

And none of the men of war have found their hands. 
6 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, 

Chariots and horsemen are sunk in deep sleep. 


7 Thou thyself art terrible; 
And who can stand before thee, because of the intensity 
of thy anger? 


[ 118 | 


THE MIGHTY GOD 
8 From the heavens thou didst pronounce sentence; 
Earth feared and was still, 
g When God arose to judgment, 
To save all the humble of the earth. Selah 


10 Surely, the most violent of men will give thanks to thee, 
The most persistently violent will put on sackcloth. 
11 Make vows and pay them to the Lord, your God. 
Let all who are around him bring gifts to him that is 
terrible. 
12 He cuts off the breath of princes; 
He is terrible to the kings of the earth. 


rif 
THE MIGHTY GOD 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: UPON Feduthun. 
A PSALM OF ASAPH] 
WILL raise my voice to God and cry aloud; 
I will raise my voice to God, that he may hear me. 
2 In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. 
My hand was stretched out by night without ceasing, 
My mind refused consolation. 
3 When I recall this, O God, I groan; 
When I ponder upon it, my spirit faints. Selah 


4 Thou holdest the lids of my eyes; 
I am restless and cannot speak. 
5 I have thought upon the days of old, 
The years of ancient times. 
6 By night I recall my song, 
I commune with my heart and search my spirit: 


7‘‘Will the Lord cast us off forever, 
And never again be gracious? 


[119] 


THE PSALM S 


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8 Is his grace at an end forever? 
Has his word ceased for all generations? 
9 Has God forgotten how to be gracious? 
Or has he shut up his mercy in anger?” Selah 


10 Then I say, “‘This is my disaster: 

That the right hand of the Most High has changed.” 
ir I will recall the words of Yah; 

I will remember thy wonders of old; 
12 And I will ponder upon all thy work, 

And meditate upon thy doings. 


13 O God, thy way is in holiness. 
What deity is as great as God? 
14 Thou art the God that does wonders. 
Thou hast made thy Roan known among the 
peoples. 
15 Thou didst by thy power redeem thy people, 
The sons of Jacob and Joseph. 


16 The waters saw thee, O God; 
The waters saw thee; they suffered pangs; 
The very deeps were convulsed. 
17 The clouds poured down water; 
The skies gave forth their voice; 
Thy arrows flashed hither and thither. 


18 The sound of thy thunder was in the cyclone; 
Lightning lit up the world. 
The land trembled and quaked. 
19 Thy way was in the sea, 
And thy path on the great waters; 
But thy footsteps were not traced. 
20 Thou didst lead thy people like a flock, 
By the hand of Moses and Aaron. 


[ 120 | 


A RELIGIOUS BALLAD 


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78 
A RELIGIOUS BALLAD 


[A maskil OF ASAPH] 


EARKEN, my people, to my teaching; 
Bend your ear to the words of my mouth! 
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; 
I will utter riddles from of old, 
3 What we have heard and known, 
And our fathers told us. 

4 We will not conceal it from their children, 
Telling to the coming generation the praises of the Lord, 
And his might and his wonders which he wrought, 

5 When he established a decree in Jacob, 

And gave Israel a law, 
Which he commanded our fathers 
To teach unto their children, 

6 That the coming generation should know, 
That children yet unborn should arise, 
And tell to their children, 

7 That they should set their trust in God, 
And not forget the works of God; 

But keep his commandments, 
g And not be like their fathers, 
A stubborn and rebellious generation, 
A generation that did not set its heart aright; 
Nor was its spirit loyal to God. 


9 The Ephraimites—archers, equipped with the bow— 
Turned back in the day of battle. 
10 They did not keep the covenant of God, 
And refused to walk in accordance with his law; 


[ rar | 


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11 But forgot his works, 

And his wonders which he had showed them. 
12 Before their fathers he did wonders 

In the land of Egypt, on the fields of Zoan. 
13 He cleft the sea and led them through, 

And made the waters stand like a wall. 
14 And he led them with a cloud by day, 

And all night through by the light of a fire. 
15 He split rocks in the desert, 

And gave them drink abundantly as from the great 

depths. 

16 And he brought forth streams from the rock, 

And made water run down like rivers. 


17 But they sinned still more against him, 
Rebelling in the desert against the Most High. 
18 Then they tried God in their hearts, 
By demanding food according to their desire. 
19 And they spoke against God and said, 
“Can God spread a table in the desert? 
20 He did, indeed, smite the rock, so that the water flowed, 
And streams poured forth; 
Can he also give bread, 
Or provide meat for his people?” 
21 Therefore the Lord heard and became angry, 
And fire blazed forth against Jacob, 
And wrath mounted against Israel; 
22 Because they did not believe in God, 
And put no confidence in his deliverance. 


23 So he commanded the skies from above, 
And opened the doors of the heavens; 


[ 122 } 


A RELIGIOUS BALLAD 


CHEErTney re eeneeenen ey verse: ANENSEDEDSANONOGEEA ESE EETHETE DERE FLEET Dee TONED FEEDER EERE: 


24 And he rained manna upon them for food, 
And gave them of the grain of the heavens. 

25 The bread of the mighty did a man eat; 
Provisions he furnished them in abundance, 

26 He let loose the east wind in the heavens; 
And in his might he guided the south wind; 

27 And he rained flesh upon them like dust, 
And winged birds like the sand of the seas. 

28 And he let them fall in the midst of their camp, 
Round about their dwellings. 

29 So they did eat and were completely satisfied; 
He brought them their desire. 

30 They were not yet tired of their craving, 
Their food was yet in their mouths, 

31 When the anger of God mounted against them, 
And he slew the stoutest among them, 
And laid low the choicest in Israel. 


32 Notwithstanding all this, they sinned still more, 
And believed not in his wondrous works, 

33 So he brought their days to an end in a breath, 
And their years in sudden ruin. 

34 When he smote them, then they sought him, 
And again they inquired of God. 

35 And they remembered that God was their rock, 
And that the most high God was their avenger. 

36 So they beguiled him with their mouth, 
And lied to him with their tongue; 

37 But their heart was not steadfast with him, 
Nor were they loyal to his covenant. 

38 But he is merciful. 
He pardons guilt and does not destroy. 


[ 123 ] 


THE PSALMS 
And frequently he restrains his anger, 
And does not arouse all his rage. 


39 So he remembered that they were flesh, 
A breath that passes and does not come back. 
40 How often did they oppose him in the wilderness, 
And grieve him in the desert! 
41 They tried God again and again, 
And vexed the holy one of Israel. 
42 They did not remember his power: 
The day that he delivered them from the foe; 
43 How he set his wonders in Egypt, 
And his portents in the fields of Zoan; 
44 And turned their rivers to blood, 
So that they could not drink of their streams! 
4s How he sent forth among them swarms of insects and 
devoured them, 
And frogs, which destroyed them. 
46 And how he gave their increase to the caterpillar, 
And the fruit of their labor to the locust; 
47 How he destroyed their vines with hailstones, 
And their sycamore trees with frost; 
48 And he gave their cattle over to the plague, 
And their flocks to the pestilence. 


49 He sent upon them his hot anger, 
Wrath and fury and trouble, 
An embassy of messengers of woe. 
50 He made a smooth path for his anger, 
He did not restrain them from death, 
But handed over their life to the plague. 
51 He smote all the first-born in Egypt, 
The first-fruits of virile strength in the tents of Ham; 


[ 124 ] 


52 


53 


54 


55 


56 


K 


A RELIGIOUS BALLAD 
And he sent forth his people like a flock, 

Guided them like a herd in the wilderness, 

And led them safely so that they were not afraid; 
But their foes the sea did overwhelm. 

So he brought them to his holy region, 

To this mountain which his right hand had won. 

And he drove out the nations from before them, 

And distributed them as a possession, 

And gave the tribes of Israel dwellings in their tents. 


But they tried and vexed God, the Most High, 

And did not keep his injunctions. 

And they turned back and were faithless like their 
fathers; 

They turned around like a treacherous bow. 

They provoked him with their sanctuaries; 

And with their idols, they aroused his hot wrath. 

God heard and became furious, 

And utterly rejected Israel, 

And spurned the sanctuary at Shiloh, 

The tent which he had occupied among men. 

He surrendered his strength to captivity, 

And his splendor into the hand of the foe. 

He delivered his people to the sword, 

And raged against his heritage. 

Fire devoured his youths, 

And his maidens had no wedding songs. 

His priests fell by the sword, 

And his widows could not weep. 


Then the Lord awoke like one asleep, 
Like a strong man overcome of wine. 


[125 | 


THE PSALMS 

66 And he smote his foes backward, 

And inflicted upon them a perpetual disgrace. 
67 He rejected the house of Joseph, 

And chose not the tribe of Ephraim. 
68 But he chose the tribe of Judah, 

Mount Zion, which he loved. 
69 He built his sanctuary like the heights, 

Like the earth which he has founded forever. 
70 He chose David, his servant, 

And took him from the sheepfolds. 
71 From behind the ewes he brought him, 

To be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, 

And Israel, his heritage. 
72 He tended them in accordance with the integrity of his 

heart, 
And by the skill of his hands he led them. 


uo 
A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 


[A PSALM OF ASAPH] 


God, the nations have come into thy inherit- 
ance; 
They have defiled thy holy temple; 
They have laid Jerusalem 1n ruins. 
2 They have given the corpses of thy servants 
As food to the fowl of the heavens; 
The flesh of thy saints to the beasts of the land. 
3 They have poured out their blood like water 
Round about Jerusalem, and there is none to bury 
them. 


[ 126 ] 


A PRAYER FOR VENGEANCE 


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4 We are become a taunt for our neighbors, 
Derision and mockery for those around us. 


5 How long, O Lord? Wilt thou be angry forever? 
Will thy jealousy burn like fire? 
6 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations who do not 
acknowledge thee, 
And upon the kingdoms that do not invoke thy name; 
7 For they have devoured Jacob, 
And have laid waste his habitation. 
8 Do not remember against us our early sins; 
May thy mercies quickly meet us, 
For we are brought very low. 
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, 
Because of the glory of thy name; 
And deliver us and forgive our sins for thy name’s sake. 


10 Wherefore should the nations say, “Where is their 
God?” 
May there be known among the nations, in our sight, 
Vengeance for the blood of thy servants that has been 
shed! 
11 May the groan of the prisoner come before thee! 
According to thy great power make those doomed to 
death survive; 
12 And requite to our neighbors, seven fold into their 
bosom, 
The reproach wherewith they reproached thee, O Lord. 
13 Then we, thy people, and the flock of thy pasture, 
Will praise thee forever; 
To all generations we will recount thy praise. 


ta7)) 


THE PSALMS 


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80 
A PRAYER FOR RESTORATION 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: TO THE LILIES; A 
TESTIMONY OF ASAPH; A PSALM) 


SHEPHERD of Israel, give ear; 
Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock, 

Thou that art seated upon the cherubs, shine forth. 
2 Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, 

Stir up thy might, 

And come to our deliverance. 
3 O God, restore us; 

And let thy face shine, that we may be delivered. 


4 O Lord, God of hosts, 
How long thou hast been enraged at the prayer of thy 
people! 
s Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears. 
Thou hast made them drink tears by the gallon. 
6 Thou dost make us a butt for our neighbors, 
And our foes make mock of us. 
7 O God of hosts, restore us; 
And let thy face shine that we may be delivered. 


8 Thou didst remove a vine from Egypt; 
Thou didst expel the nations and replant it; 
9 Thou didst smooth the way for it, 
So that it struck root and filled the land. 
10 The mountains were covered with its shade, 
And the cedars of God with its branches. 
11 It sent forth its boughs to the sea, 
And its tendrils to the river. 


[ 128 | 


AN APPEAL TO EXPERIENCE 
12 Why, then, hast thou broken down its walls, 
So that all who pass by pluck its fruit? 
13 The wild boar devours it, 
And the beasts of the field feed upon it. 
14 O God of hosts, restore us; 
And let thy face shine that we may be delivered. 


15 Look forth from the heavens and see, 
And watch over this vine, 
16 And the garden which thy right hand planted, 
And the son thou didst raise up for thyself. 
17 It is burned with fire; it is cut down. 
May they perish at the rebuke of thy presence. 
18 May thy hand be over the man, 
Thy right hand over the man whom thou didst raise 
up for thyself! 
19 He has not turned back from thee, 
Revive us, and upon thy name we will call. 
O Lord, God of hosts, restore us! 
Let thy face shine upon us that we may be delivered! 


SI 
AN APPEAL TO EXPERIENCE 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: ON Gittith; 
OF ASAPH| 


ING joyously of God our strength; 
Shout aloud of Jacob’s God. 
2 Raise the chant and beat the drum, 
Both the sweet harp and the lute. 
3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon, 
At the full moon on our festal day. 


[ 129 ] 


THE PSALMS 
4 For it is a statute in Israel, 
An ordinance of Jacob’s God. 
5 He made it a law in Joseph, 
When he went forth against the land of Egypt. 
I heard an unknown tongue saying, 
6I removed the burden from upon his shoulder; 
His hands were freed from the heavy basket. 
7 In trouble you called and I rescued you. 
I answered you in the secret place of thunder 
I tested you by the waters of Meribah. Selah 


8 ‘Listen, O my people, while I warn you; 
If you would but listen to me, O Israel! 
g There should be no strange god among you; 
Nor should you bow down to a foreign god. 
10 I, the Lord, am your God; 
He who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 
Open wide your mouth that I may fill it. 
11 But my people did not listen to my voice. 
Israel would have none of me. 


12 ‘So I gave them over to their own self-will, 
That they might follow their own devices. 
13 If my people would but listen to me, 
If Israel would only walk in my ways, 
14 I would quickly humble their foes, 
And turn my hand against their enemies. 
15 Those who hate the Lord would fawn upon him, 
And terror would be upon them forever; 
16 But he would be fed the finest of the wheat, 
And with honey from the rock would I satisfy you.’ 


b 


[ 130 ] 


A HOMILY FOR “DIVINE” RULERS 


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82 
A HOMILY FOR “DIVINE” RULERS 


[A PSALM OF ASAPH] 
OD takes his stand in the divine assembly; 
In the midst of the gods he gives judgment. 
2“‘How long will you judge unjustly, 
And show partiality toward the wicked? Selah 


3‘‘Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; 
Do right by the afflicted and wretched; 

4 Set free the weak and needy; 
Rescue them from the hand of the wicked.” 


5 They have neither knowledge nor sense; 
They wander about in darkness; 
All the foundations of the earth shake. 


6 I say, “You are gods, 

And all of you sons of the Most High! 
7 Yet you will die as men do, 

And fall like any prince.” 


g Arise, O God, judge the earth! 


For thou wilt take possession of all the nations. 


83 
A PRAYER FOR THE OVERTHROW 
OF NATIONS 
[A SONG. A PSALM OF ASAPH] 
EEP not silence, O God; 
Be not still; and be not quiet, O God! 
2 For lo! thine enemies roar, 


And those who hate thee carry a high head. 
[131] 


THE PSALMS 
3 Against thy people they make crafty plans, 
And take counsel together against thy hidden ones. 
4 They say, “Come and let us destroy them that they be 
no more a people, 
And that the name Israel be remembered no more.” 
5 For they conspire with one mind; 
Against thee do they make an alliance, 
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, 
Moab and the Hagarenes, 
7 Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek, 
Philistia, with the inhabitants of Tyre; 
8 Assyria also 1s leagued with them; 
They are the strength of the children of Lot. Selah 


g Deal with them as with Midian, 
As with Sisera and Jabin by the brook Kishon, 
10 Who were destroyed at Endor; 
They became dung for the ground. 
11 Make their chieftains like Oreb and Zeeb, 
All their princes like Zebah and Zalmunnah, 
12 Who said, ‘“We will seize for ourselves 
The meadows of God.” 
13 My God, make them like a tumbleweed, 
Like chaff before the wind. 
14 Like a fire that burns up a wood, 
And like the flame that sets mountains afire; 
15 So do thou pursue them with thy tempest, 
And terrify them with thy hurricane. 
16 Fill their faces with shame, 
That they may seek thy name, O Lord! 
17 Let them be disgraced and terrified forever, 
And may they be put to shame and perish; 


[ 132 ] 


THE FOY OF THE GODLY 
18 That they may know that it is thou alone whose name 
is the Lord, 
That art Most High over all the earth. 


84 
THE JOY OF THE GODLY 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: ON THE Gittith; OF 
THE SONS OF KORAH; A PSALM] 


OW lovely is thy dwelling-place, O Lord of hosts! 
2 My spirit longs and pines 
for the courts of the Lord. 
My heart and my flesh give a shout of joy 
for the living God! 


3 Even the wren has found a house, 
And the swallow a nest for herself, 
Where she may put her young, 
Thy altars, O Lord of hosts, 

My King, and my God. 


4 How happy are those who dwell in thy house, 
Ever praising thee! 

5 How happy the man whose strength is in thee! 
The highways are in their minds! 

6 Those who pass through the valley of Baca 
Make it a region of springs; 
The early rain covers it with blessings. 

7 They go from strength to strength; 
The God of gods is seen in Zion. 


8 O Lord, God of hosts, hear my prayer; 
Give heed, O God of Jacob! 


[ 133 ] 


THE PSALMS 


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EAENOAOONGUN DOO OUEDOTEFERENENSNSSOSOOCNTOREEERTROEESEDERD 


g O God, our shield, behold 
And look upon the face of thy anointed! 
10 For better is one day in thy courts than a thousand 
elsewhere; 
I would rather stand outside the door of the house of 
my God 
Than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. 
Favor and honor the Lord bestows; 
He does not withhold prosperity from them that walk 
in integrity. 


12 O Lord of hosts, 
How happy the man who trusts in thee! 


85 
A PLEA FOR GOD’S PARDON 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF THE SONS OF 
KORAH; A PSALM| 


HOU wast favorable to thy land, O Lord; 
Thou didst restore the fortune of Jacob; 
2 Thou didst pardon the guilt of thy people; 
Thou didst cover up all their sin. Selah 


3 Thou didst withdraw all thy wrath; 
Thou didst turn away from thy hot anger. 
4 Restore us, O God of our deliverance, 
And break off thy vexation against us! 


5 Wilt thou be angry with us forever? 

Wilt thou prolong thy anger for generations? 
6 Wilt thou not revive us again, 

That thy people may rejoice in thee? | 


[ 134 ] 


4A PLEA FOR GOD’S HELP 
7 Show us thy grace, O Lord; 
And grant us thy salvation. 


8 I would hear what God the Lord will speak. 
Surely he will speak prosperity unto his people and his 
saints, 
And those who turn their hearts to him. 
g For his salvation is close to them that fear him, 
That honor may dwell in our land. 


10 Grace and fidelity are met together; 
Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 
11 Videlity springs up from the earth, 
And righteousness looks forth from the heavens. 


12 The Lord will give prosperity, 

And our land will yield its increase. 
13 Righteousness will go before it 

And mark the way with its footsteps. 


86 
A PLEA FOR GOD’S HELP 
[A PRAYER OF DAVID] 


NCLINE thy ear, O Lord, answer me, 
For I am afflicted and needy. 
2 Preserve me, for I am a pious man. 
O Thou, my God, deliver thy servant who trusts in 
thee. 


3 Be gracious unto me, O Lord; 
For unto thee do [I call all day long. 


[135 | 


THE PSALMS 
4 Gladden the heart of thy servant, 
For I lift up my heart unto thee. 


5 For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving; 
And rich in grace to all that call upon thee. 
6 Listen to my prayer, O Lord; 
And heed my supplicating voice! 


7 In my day of trouble I call upon thee, 
For thou wilt answer me. 

8 There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord; 
Nor are there any works like thine. 


g All the nations which thou hast made, 
Will come and bow down before thee, O Lord; 
And will honor thy name; 
10 For thou art great and doest wonders; 
Thou alone art God. 


11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, 
That I may walk in fidelity to thee, 
That my heart may rejoice in the fear of thy name. 
12 I will thank thee, O Lord, my God, with all my heart; 
And I will honor thy name forever. 


13 For thy grace toward me is great, 

In that thou hast rescued me from the depths of Sheol. 
14 O God, the proud have risen up against me, 

And a gang of bandits seeks my life, 

And does not keep thee in mind. 


15 But thou, O Lord, art a merciful and gracious God. 
Slow to anger and rich in grace and fidelity. 


[ 136 ] 


ZION GLORIES IN HER CHILDREN 
16 Turn to me and pity me; 
Grant thy servant thy strength, 
And deliver the son of thy handmaid. 


17 Work in my behalf a sign for good, 
That those who hate me may see it and be put to shame, 
Because thou, O Lord, hast helped me and comforted 
me. 


87 
ZION GLORIES IN HER CHILDREN 


[OF THE SONS OF KORAH3 A PSALM; 
A SONG] 


IS foundation is in the holy mountains. 
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion 
More than all other dwellings of Jacob. 


3 Glorious things he speaks of you, 
O city of God. Selah 


4 I may mention Rahab and Babylon on account of their 
famous men, 
Philistia, Tyre, and also Ethiopia; 
“Such a one was born there!” 
5 But of Zion it will be said, 
“This one and that one were born in her!” 
And that will place her in the highest rank. 
6 The Lord, when he lists the nations, will record, 
“Such a one was born there.” 
7 Those who behold will be like men dreaming, 
All who closely watch you. 


[ 137 ] 


THE PSALMS 


SNAURANE CA DETER IVEEDOGN #UEDASLEPRDEREEDESS PFFER DAL OU SERPEREDS SOUS UGUSLENSGETOOETERON LCENEENCOETOOEC TRE UTCOGESES EL SOEETETELEOCUEORLETERTICENE PE DPOE DONT DE FETERE HOEY EPS LETEDTELELETINTIY PEFEA NTA G DECEDEOEND ODED ETET REO PRORS FY FE SSSERRETETREDEPESY LIT 


88 
LAMENTATION OF ONE IN TROUBLE 


[A SONG; A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. FOR THE 
DIRECTOR: UPON machalath leannoth; A maskil 
OF HEMAN THE EZRACHITE| 


CALL for help by day, O Lord, my God; 
I cry before thee at night; 
2 Let my prayer come before thee; 
Incline thy ear to my call! 


3 For I am surfeited with troubles, 
And my life verges on Sheol. 
4 Iam reckoned among those that go down to the pit; 
I am become like a man without help, 
5 Separated among the dead, 
Like the slain that lie in the grave, 
Whom thou dost no more remember, 
For they are cut off from thy hand. 
6 Thou hast put me in the deepest pit, 
In darkest regions, in the depths. 


7 Thy wrath rests upon me, 
And thou dost press down upon me all thy breakers. 
8 Thou hast removed my acquaintances far from me; 
Thou hast made me a horror to them; 
I am shut in and cannot go out. 
g My eye wastes away with sorrow; 
I have called upon thee, O Lord, all day long; 
I have spread out my hands toward thee. 


10 Is it for the dead that thou wilt do wonders? 
Will the ghosts arise to thank thee? Selah 


[ 138 ] 


THE SORROWS OF UDAH 
11 Will thy grace be recounted in the grave? 
Or thy faithfulness in Hades? 
12 Will thy wonders be made known in the darkness? 
Or thy righteousness in the land of oblivion? 


13 But I, O Lord, call unto thee for help, 
And in the morning my prayer comes before thee. 
14 Wherefore, O Lord, dost thou reject me, 
And hide thy face from me? 
15 I have been afflicted and at the point of death from 
my youth up; 
I have borne thy terrors; I am overcome. 


16 Thy fury has gone over me; 
Thy terrors have destroyed me; 

17 They surround me like water all day long; 
They encircle me completely. 

18 Thou hast put friend and companion far from me, 
And my acquaintances are in the place of darkness. 


89 
THE SORROWS OF JUDAH 
[a maskil OF ETHAN THE EZRACHITE] 
HE gracious deeds of the Lord I will sing forever; 
Throughout the generations I will proclaim thy 
faithfulness with my mouth. 


2 For I say, “Grace will be renewed forever; 
In the heavens thou dost establish thy faithfulness.” 


3 I made an agreement with my chosen one, 
I swore to David, my servant, 


[ 139 ] 


THE PSALMS 


ATNONESIAROTTEN RSAC OE DT LERENEY FORE ET NOE ETETET SA LEDE HENARRES TES TORE TASER EMRMRRE PRERET FE ROREDETESESRLEDTNES OY EWOREY IT TONED ET ITTELETERETESDEHERER EVER HT EN OTE EOFOED IT PE 


4‘I will establish thy descendants forever; 
And I will build thy throne for generations.” Selah 


5 The heavens praise thy wonders, O Lord, 
And thy faithfulness in the divine assembly. 
6 For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? 


Who is like the Lord among the gods? 


7 A God to be feared in the divine council, 
Great and terrible over all around him; 

8 O Lord, God of hosts, 
Who is strong like thee, O Lord? 
And thy faithfulness is round about thee. 


g Thou rulest over the raging of the sea; 
When its waves rise thou stillest them. 

1o Thou hast crushed Rahab like one who is slain; 
With thy strong arm thou hast scattered thy foes. 


11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine; 
The world and its contents thou hast founded. 

12 The north and the south thou didst create. 
Tabor and Hermon celebrate thy name. 


13 Thine is an arm with power. 
Thy hand is strong; thy right hand is high. 
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of thy 
throne. 
Grace and faithfulness go before thee. 


15 How happy are the people who know the festal 
trumpet-call! 
O Lord, they walk in the light of thy face. 
16 In thy name they rejoice all day long; 
And through thy righteousness are they exalted. 


[ 140 ] 


Oe necenesessenereeee: 


THE SORROWS OF JUDAH | 
17 For thou art the glory of their strength. 
And through thy favor our horn is exalted. 
18 For the Lord is our shield, 
And the holy one of Israel our King. 


19 Once thou didst speak in vision to thy faithful one, 
And didst say, “‘I have placed a diadem upon a warrior; 
I have raised up a chosen one from the people. 

20 I have found David my servant, 
With my holy oil I have anointed him, 

21 Whom my hand holds firm, 
And my arm strengthens. 


22 ‘The enemy will not overcome him; 
Nor the wicked man afflict him; 

23 For I will crush his foes before him, 
And those who hate him I will smite. 


24‘‘My faithfulness and my grace will be with him; 
And through my name his horn will be exalted. 
25 I will set his hand upon the sea, 
And his right hand upon the river. 


26‘‘He will call unto me, ‘Thou art my father, 
My God, and the rock of my deliverance.’ 
27 And I shall make him the first-born, 
The highest of the kings of the earth. 


28“I shall always keep my grace for him; 
And my covenant will stand firm for him; 
29 And I will give him posterity forever, 
And his throne will be like the days of the heavens. 


30If his sons forsake my law, 
And do not walk in my judgments; 


[ 141 ] 


THE PSALMS 


AETECTUNOEEESEFESEDESEANEUANAHEOEAESNGNOA EOE SSERDOREESERSESASLESSOGLESAD ERI EERLE NSS SEEOASESEGEACHDODEAUSDNENOHEDIEALAED/ENCTENIDRSEREROU IDEN C ODE DEED AREDEEEARPOAELPAEAHDAUDEDALI LODO TODAS AESAESASENSEAASOLA LOO OLDESEAREEASEAHATUNYHAOHOLOTOBDEGAEAEAEGRADSNSEASIEOGOSAEAERSSESASMTAEARIOROED 





31 If they violate my decrees, 
And observe not my commands, 


32‘Then I will punish their offense with the rod, 
And their guilt with blows; 

33 But my grace I will not withdraw from them; 
Nor will I be false to my fidelity. 


34 1 will not violate my covenant, 

Nor will I alter what my lips have uttered. 
35 Once I swore by my holiness, 

(And I would not lie to David) 


36°“That his posterity should be forever, 
And his throne be like the sun before me, 

37 Like the moon it should be established forever, 
And should stand firm as long as the skies.” 


38 But thou hast rejected and cast off, 
Thou hast raged against thine anointed. 

39 Thou hast broken the covenant with thy servant; 
Thou hast defiled his diadem in the dust. 


40 Thou hast broken down all his walls; 
Thou hast laid his forts in ruin. 

41 All that pass by plunder him; 
He has become a jest to his neighbors. 


42 Thou hast raised up the right hand of his enemies; 
Thou hast made all his foes glad. 

43 Moreover thou hast turned the edge of his sword, 
And hast not supported him in battle. 


44 Thou hast put an end to his splendor, 
And hurled his throne to the ground. 


[ 142 ] 


THE SORROWS OF FUDAH 
4§ Thou hast cut off the days of his prime, 
And covered him over with shame. Selah 


46 How long, O Lord? Wilt thou hide thyself forever? 
Will thy wrath burn on like a fire? 

47 Remember, O Lord, what our span of life is; 
For what frailty thou hast created all the sons of men. 


48 What man can live and not see death, 

Can deliver himself from the power of Sheol? Selah 
49 Where are thy former deeds of grace, O Lord, 

Which thou didst swear to David by thy faithfulness? 


so Remember, O Lord, the disgrace of thy servant, 

How I carry in my bosom the reproach of the peoples; 
51 How thy foes insult, O Lord, 

How they insult the representatives of thy anointed! 


52 Blessed be the Lord forever, 
Amen and amen. 


[ 143 ] 





BOOK IV 
PSS. go-106 


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go 
A PLEA FOR GOD’S MERCY 


[A PRAYER OF MOSES, THE MAN OF GOD] 


LORD, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all 
generations. 
2 Before the mountains were born, 
Or ere thou hadst brought forth the earth and the world, 
Even from everlasting to everlasting thou art, O God. 


3 Thou turnest man back to dust, 
And sayest, “Return, O sons of man.” 
4 For a thousand years in thy sight 
Are but as yesterday when it passes, 
And as a watch in the night. 


5 Thou cuttest them off; they are as a dream; 

They are like grass which renews itself in the morning; 
6 In the morning it flourishes and shoots up, 

At evening it is cut down and withers. 


7 For we are destroyed by thy anger, 
And by thy wrath we are ruined. 

8 Thou dost place our crimes before thee, 
Our secret sins in the light of thy face. 


9 For all our days vanish in thy wrath; 
We come to an end; our years are like a cobweb wiped 
away. 
10 The length of our life is seventy years, 
Perchance through strength eighty years; 
And their whole extent is trouble and travail. 
For it is quickly cut off and we fly away. 


[ 147 ] 


THE PSALMS 
11 Who knows the power of thy anger? 
Or thy wrath according to the fear due thee? 
12 So teach us to number our days 
That we may obtain a wise heart. 


13 Return, O Lord; how long? 
And relent thyself as to thy servants. 
14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy mercy, 
That we may shout with joy and be glad throughout 
our days. 
15 Gladden usin proportion to the days wherein thou hast 
afflicted us, 
And the years wherein we have seen disaster. 


16 May thy work appear unto thy servants, 
And thy splendor be upon their children. 

17 May the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, 
And the work of our hands do thou establish upon us; 
The work of our hands establish thou it. 


gl 
THE FAVOR OF GOD UPON 
THE FAITHFUL 


E, WHO dwells under the shelter of the Most 
High, 
Who abides under the shadow of the Almighty, 
2 Says of the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, 
My God, in whom I trust.” 


3 For he rescues you from the snare of the fowler, 
From the deadly pestilence; 


[ 148 ] 


THE FAVOR OF GOD UPON THE FAITHFUL 
4 With his pinions he covers you, 

And under his wings you find refuge. 

His faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 


s You will not be afraid of the terror by night, 
Nor the arrow that flies by day, 

6 Nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, 
Nor the plague that wastes at noonday. 


7 A thousand may fall at your side, 
And ten thousand at your right hand; 
But it will not come near you. 

8 You will but gaze upon with your eyes 
And see the reward of the wicked. 


9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, 
And the Most High your habitation, 
10 No disaster will befall you, 
Nor calamity come near your tent. 


11 For he will give his angels charge over you, 
To guard you in all your ways. 
12 They will bear you up upon their hands, 
Lest you strike your foot upon a stone. 
13 Upon the lion and the adder you may tread; 
Upon the young lion and the dragon you may trample. 


14 Because he clings fast to me in love, I will deliver him; 
I will set him on high because he knows my name. 
15 When he calls upon me, I will answer him; 
I will be with him in trouble; 
I will set him free and honor him. 
16 With long life will I satisfy him, 
And show him my salvation. 


[ 149 | 


THE PSALMS 


TUMAEN ONS EBEEDEDSEALDEEAAELDOOABEAFOSSOEENAASAES ASOURASAUAAAAARARDOGD4GN4)44A0 FRO AA DISANSASOON DED IVELEELS SECUPERPTEERETEN WADE DEANEERERAEGORGATSAEELD EO DARA TONNETSCEUDAS EOSACNSEEED >: (UAADEDELESERISLAASNEREBELELETCILOSATEASATEORDYNEDESMRARYSOREEDIDTERDD 


g2 
A HYMN OF GRATITUDE 


[A PSALM; A SONG FOR THE SABBATH DAY] 


T IS good to give thanks to the Lord, 
And to sing praises to thy name, O Most High; 
2 To proclaim thy grace in the morning, 
And thy faithfulness every night, 
3 Upon the ten-stringed lyre and the lute, 
To a melody with the harp. 


4 For thou hast made me glad, O Lord, by thy works; 
Of the deeds of thy hands I joyfully sing. 

5 How great are thy doings, O Lord; 
How very deep thy designs! 


6 A stupid man cannot know, 
A senseless one cannot understand this. 
7 When the wicked shoot up like grass, 
And all wrongdoers flourish, 
It is that they may be destroyed forever. 


8 But thou art on high forever, O Lord! 
g For lo, thine enemies, O Lord; 

For lo, thine enemies will perish! 

All wrongdoers will be scattered. 


10 But thou hast exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; 
I am anointed with fresh oil. 

11 And my eye looks upon them that lie in wait for me; 
My ears hear the wicked that rise up against me. 


12 The righteous will flourish like the palm tree; 
He will grow high like a cedar in Lebanon. 


[ 150 ] 


a a 1 


THE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE 
13 Planted in the house of the Lord, 
They will flourish in the courts of our God. 


14 They will still yield fruit in old age; 
Full of sap and green will they be; 

15 To proclaim that the Lord is right, 
My rock, in whom there is no wrong, 


93 
THE RULER OF THE UNIVERSE 


HE Lord is king; he is clothed with majesty. 
The Lord is clothed, he is girded with strength. 
Indeed, the world is established immovable. 
2 Thy throne has been established from of old; 
Thou art from remotest antiquity. 


3 The floods have lifted up, O Lord, 
The floods have lifted up their voice; 
The floods lift up their roar 

4 Above the sound of many waters. 
Mightier than the breakers of the sea, 
The Lord on high is mighty! 


5 Thy testimonies are very sure. 
Holiness befits thy house, 
O Lord, for all time. 


94 
DESTRUCTION TO THE WICKED! 
Lord, thou avenging God, 
O thou avenging God, shine forth! 
2 Rise up, O judge of the earth; 
Render to the proud their deserts. 


[151] 


THE PSALMS 


(€VUAAAYONTENED TUCASURSELIRATSERADAI VIDAGIERSDOLLAROAETDARSL DE SSELLSAESERAGNAAALSSAASOOELOOAEAESNDDSAGLALIO€CS SE SETIREROSEEAGL STUDOUGEASEEBEELELAUNSERLESSEDLSUALEELELGLGAMASEASEALLAAAENANOEGEE SEREEOONESANEDELI TOES S@OMEELED IED OOLASALAEMEULAAIOOLOASASEEGUOOUUUNEECUAANCERSERE SE 


3 How long shall the wicked, O Lord, 
How long shall the wicked exult, 

4 Shall they bubble over speaking insolence, 
Shall all wrongdoers brag? 


5 They crush thy people, O Lord, 
And they afflict thy heritage. 

6 The widow and the stranger they slay, 
And the fatherless they murder. 

7 And they say, ““The Lord does not see; 
And the God of Jacob does not observe.” 


8 Ponder, O stupid ones among the people, 
When will you become wise, O fools? 
g Does he who planted the ear not hear? 
Or he who formed the eye not see? 
to Will he who instructs the nations not punish them, 
He who teaches man knowledge? 
11 The Lord knows the devices of men, 
That they are but a breath. 


12 Happy the man whom thou chastenest, 
And teachest of thy law, O Lord; 

13 That he may have relief from times of trouble, 
Until the pit be dug for the wicked! 

14 For the Lord will not spurn his people, 
Nor abandon his heritage. 

1s For judgment will return to the righteous, 
And after him all the upright in heart will go. 


16 Who rises up for me against the doers of evil? 
Who takes his stand for me against the wrongdoers? 
17 Had not the Lord been my help, 


I should soon have lain down in silence! 


[ 152] 


4A PAEAN OF PRAISE 

18 If I think, “My foot is slipping,” 
Thy grace, O Lord, sustains me! 

1g When my cares are many within me, 
Thy comforts give me cheer. 


20 Can the throne of wickedness be allied with thee, 
That frames wickedness by statute— 
21 They who make assaults upon the life of the righteous, 
And pronounce condemnation upon innocent blood? 
22 But the Lord is my high tower; 
My God is the rock of my refuge. 
23 And he requites them for their guilt, 
And for their wickedness destroys them. 
The Lord, our God, destroys them! 


95 
A PAEAN OF PRAISE 


OME, let us sing unto the Lord, 
Let us raise joyful shouts to the rock of our 
deliverance! 
2 Let us come before his face with thanksgiving; 
Let us raise joyful shouts to him in psalms. 


3 For the Lord is a great God, 
And a great king over all gods. 

4 In his hand are the depths of the earth; 
The summits of the hills are his also. 

5 The sea is his, for he made it; 


And his hands formed the dry land. 


6 Come, let us worship and bow down; 
Let us kneel before the Lord, our maker! 


[153 ] 


THE PSALMS 
7 For he is our God; 


And we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep 
of his hand. 


Today, if you obey his voice, 

8 Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, 
As in the day at Massah in the wilderness, 

g When your fathers tried me, 
Tested me, and saw my works. 

10 For forty years I loathed that generation, 

And I said, “They are a people who err in their hearts, 
And do not know my ways.” 
So that I swore in my anger, 
That they should not enter into my rest. 


96 
THE GLORY OF GOD 


ING to the Lord a new song; 
Sing to the Lord, all the earth; 
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; 
Publish his deliverance abroad from day to day. 
3 Tell among the nations his glory, 
Among all the peoples, his wonders. 


4 For great 1s the Lord and greatly to be praised. 
Fearful is he above all gods. 

5 For all the gods of the peoples are nonentities, 
But the Lord made the heavens. 

6 Honor and majesty are before him; 
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 


7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of peoples, 
Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 


L154 | 





THE MAFESTY OF GOD 


LAELULTEEE EE CLENEEVENENTTRELETUENEONSUUUTA UE DEERETEEDURUOT ITE RURERTTOFEREASEODEN DOU SLE DODES TAS TERSAIOROPOODEEEOLENOREETINDD OS 


8 Ascribe to the Zord the glory of his name; 
Bring an offering and come into his courts. 
g Worship the Lord in holy array, 
Tremble before him all the earth. 


10 Tell among the nations that the Lord is king; 
The world also is established that it cannot be moved. 
11 He judges the peoples in equity. 
Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult, 
The sea roar, and its fulness. 
12 Let the field exult and all that is therein. 
Then let all the trees of the wood shout for joy 
13 Before the Lord, for he comes, 
For he comes to judge the earth. 
He will judge the world with righteousness, 
And peoples with his faithfulness. 


97 
THE MAJESTY OF GOD 


HE Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice! 
Let many shores be glad! 
2 Clouds and darkness are around him; 
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his 
throne. 


3 Fire goes before him, 
And blazes around his steps. 

4 His lightnings illuminate the world; 
The earth beholds and trembles. 

s The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, 
Before the Lord of all the earth. 


[155 ] 


THE PSALMS 


ATEPEV TL PELL PUUEEOE, DLELTYTUTELSTERTEPUORE PEL ONS PERE TOEED EVES ETE EDS OUT) FSEESUROEES EONS NTE SOERERELTEOFEDOESTOOUOPUETISCECEDTTUERONS CORE TED FESOTRES 





6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness, 
And all the peoples see his glory. 

7 All who serve wrought images are put to shame, 
They who prided themselves on their nonentities. 
Worship him, all you gods! 


8 Zion hears and rejoices, 
And the daughters of Judah exult, 
Because of thy judgments, O Lord. 

g For thou, O Lord, art the highest over all the earth; 
Thou art exalted high above all gods. 


10 The Lord loves those who hate evil; 

He preserves the lives of his saints; 

From the hand of the wicked he rescues them. 
11 Light is sown for the righteous, 

And joy for the upright in heart. 
12 Rejoice in the Lord, O righteous, 

And praise his holy name. 


98 
A SONG OF TRIUMPH 
[A PSALM] 


ING to the Lord a new song, 
For he has done wonderful things! 
His right hand and his holy arm have brought him 
victory. 
2 The Lord has made known his victory; 
In the sight of the nations he has revealed his righteous- 
ness. 


[ 156 ] 


SATEOE LOR ELAEE LS OUEEEOMEUO LEED EO SERDENGEESOSAG UAE ASOEDBE SBAURAAEALSOORRADSEFA4GOGOG INCL SSDAEDEDSGHSDOREDEE 


THE HOLY GOD 





AaHeeeeLree ee s4eENbADAETOAOEAL COLE SEE ESESAEENONAES DA URAUREDDLAELEAS COON ONONS Ose bee 


3 He has remembered his grace and his faithfulness to the 
house of Israel. 
All the ends of the earth have seen the triumph of our 
God. 


4 Shout aloud to the Lord, all the earth; 
Rejoice, be jubilant, and sing praises; 

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, 
With the lyre and sound of song. 

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn, 
Shout aloud before the king, the Lord! 


7 Let the sea roar and all that is within it; 
The world and those living in it! 
8 Let the rivers clap their hands; 
Let the mountains also sing, 
9 Before the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth! 
He will judge the world with righteousness, 
And the peoples with equity. 


99 
THE HOLY GOD 


HE Lord is king; let the peoples tremble! 
He sits upon the cherubs; let the earth quake! 
2 The Lord is great in Zion, 
And high is he over all the peoples. 
3 Let them praise thy great and terrible name! 
Holy is he and strong! 


4 O King, who lovest justice, 
Thou hast established equity; 


Thou hast wrought justice and righteousness in Jacob. 


[157 | 


THE PSALMS 
5 Exalt the Zord, our God! 
And prostrate yourselves at his footstool! 


Holy is he! 


6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests; 
And Samuel was among those calling upon his name. 
They called upon the Lord and he answered them. 
7 Through the pillar of cloud he spoke to them. 
They kept his testimonies and the law which he gave 
them. 


8 O Lord, our God, thou didst answer them! 
Thou wast a forgiving God to them; 
But one taking vengeance for their sins. 

g Exalt the Lord, our God, 
And prostrate yourselves at his holy mountain! 


For holy is the Lord, our God! 


IO0O 


THE FAITHFUL GOD 
[A PSALM FOR THE THANK-OFFERING] 


AIL the Lord joyously, all the earth! 
2 Serve the Lord with gladness! 
Come before him with joyful song! 
3 Know that the Lord is God! 
He made us, and his we are, 


His people and the sheep of his pasture. 


4 Come into his gates with thanksgiving, 
And into his courts with praise! 
Give thanks to him; bless his name! 

5 For the Lord is good; his grace 1s forever; 
And his faithfulness for all generations. 


[158 | 





——— 


THE MORAL CODE OF 4 KING 


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IOI 
THE MORAL CODE OF A KING 


[OF DAVID. A PSALM] 


WILL sing of grace and justice; 
Of thee, O Lord, I will sing praises. 
2 I will give heed to the path of the perfect. 
How long till thou wilt come to me? 


I will walk in the integrity of my heart, 
within my own home. 
3 I will set before my eyes no base thing; 
I loathe the doing of transgression; 
it shall not cling to me. 
4 A perverse heart is far from me; 
I know no evil. 
5 If a man slanders his neighbor in secret, 
I destroy him. 
The supercilious and high-minded 
I cannot endure. 
6 My eye is upon the faithful in the land, 
that they may dwell with me. 
If a man walks in the perfect way, 
he shall serve me. 


7 He shall not dwell within my house 
who practices deceit. 
He who tells lies shall not be established 
before my eyes. 
8 Every morning I will destroy 
all the wicked of the land, 
Cutting off from the city of the Lord 
all the malefactors. 


[159] 


THE PSALMS 


ASANANNCG SNEDED EAAOPAASELASLAOL SALE LU ULE UN DELARESSLESLOROAAGASLIUAU ON GOL OO AESLDERSOEAGGUSLOGALIANASALSELAPOLEESELS ACLALOAFLEE DODEARESCAEEDAOUSEGEA CAL AA GEEELDESESOEAAAADEALOONAA SES EREESEASONUAESEDAREEEAERAEASLSAURNCAL/ 00026 9ROAAEAAESIELADANAE SOAS LAER EREACHANLAN LAUOUEEEEEREEEURADS 


102 
THE EVERLASTING GOD 


[A PRAYER OF THE AFFLICTED WHEN HE IS 
OVERWHELMED AND POURS OUT HIS 
PLAINT BEFORE THE Lord] 


EAR my prayer, O Lord, 
And let my cry for help come before thee! 
2 Do not hide thy face from me in my day of trouble; 
Incline thine ear unto me; 
In the day when I call answer me speedily. 
3 For my days vanish like smoke, 
And my bones are charred like a hearth. 
4 My heart is stricken and withered like grass; 
For I forget to eat my food. 
5 Because of the sound of my moaning, 
My bone cleaves to my flesh. 


6 I am like a pelican of the wilderness; 
I am become like an owl of the ruins. 
7 I am sleepless and I am become 
Like a solitary bird upon the roof. 
8 All day long my foes insult me. 
Those who deride me curse by me. 
g For I eat ashes like bread; 
And my drink do I mingle with tears; 
10 Because of thine anger and thy wrath; 
For thou hast lifted me up and cast me off. 
11 My days are like a lengthened shadow; 
And I am withered like grass. 


12 But thou, O Lord, abidest forever, 
And thy name is for countless generations. 


[ 160 | 


THE EVERLASTING GOD 
13 Thou wilt arise; thou wilt have pity on Zion. 
For it is time to be gracious to her; for the fixed time 
has come. 
14 For thy servants delight in her stones, 
And her dust they commiserate. 
15 And the nations will fear the name of the Lord, 
And all the kings of the earth thy glory, 
16 When the Lord rebuilds Zion, 
When he is seen 1n his glory, 
17 When he turns himself toward the prayer of the 
destitute, 
And does not despise their prayer. 


18 Let this be written for coming generations, 
That people yet unborn may praise the Lora: 
19 That he looked forth from his holy height, 
The Lord looked from the heavens toward the earth, 
20 To hear the groans of the prisoner, 
To set free those doomed to death, 
21 That they may recount in Zion the renown of the 
Lord, 
And his praise in Jerusalem, 
22 When peoples gather together, 
And kingdoms to serve the Lord. 


23 He has weakened my strength, 
He has cut short my days, 
24 I say, “O my God, take me not away in the midst of 
my days; 
Thou whose years are for countless generations! 
25 Of old thou didst lay the foundation of the earth; 
And the heavens are the work of thy hands. 


[ 161 | 


THE PSALMS 
26 They may perish, but thou wilt endure; 
All of them may wear out like a garment; 
Thou mayest change them like clothing and they will 
change; 
27 But thou art always the same, 
And thy years have no end. 
28 The children of thy servants will abide; 
And their posterity will be established before thee.” 


103 
THE GOODNESS OF GOD 
[OF DAVID] 


ET my whole being bless the Lord; 
And all that is within me bless his holy name! 

2 Let my whole being bless the Lord, 

And forget not all his benefits, 
3 Who forgives all my guilt, 

Who heals all my sicknesses, 
4 Who rescues my life from the pit, 

Who crowns me with grace and mercy, 
5 Who satisfies my desires with good, 

So that my youth renews itself like an eagle. 


6 The Lord executes righteousness 
And justice for all that are oppressed. 
7 He made known his ways to Moses, 
His deeds to the children of Israel. 
8 The Lord is merciful and compassionate, 
Long-suffering, and abounding 1n grace. 
9 He will not always chide, 
Nor hold his anger forever. 


[ 162 |} 


THE GOODNESS OF GOD 
10 He has not treated us according to our sins, 
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 


11 But high as the heavens are above the earth, 

So great is his grace toward them that revere him; 
12 Far as the east is from the west, 

So far has he removed our offenses from us. 
13 As a father is kind to his children, 

So the Lord is kind to those who revere him. 


14 For he knows our frame; 
He remembers that we are but dust. 
1s A man’s days are like the grass. 
Like a flower of the field, so he blossoms; 
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is not, 
And its place knows it no more. 


17 But the grace of the Lord is from age to age upon those 


who revere him, 
And his righteousness to children’s children, 
18 For those who keep his covenant, 
And remember to do his commands. 
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, 
And his kingdom rules over all. 


20 Bless the Lord, O his angels, 
Mighty beings, who do his bidding, 
Obeying his spoken word! 

Bless the Lord, all his hosts, 

His ministers who carry out his will! 
Bless the Lord, all his works, 

In all parts of his dominion! 

Let my whole being bless the Lord! 


[ 163 ] 


2 


— 


2 


wv 


THE PSALMS 


SETETEOESEDOROECOUSINUGUONINVISERDIESESEESOTEDON I TOESESSS DORE FREES FOEAEAPT DEL TROODPSNESOOURELES FEELUERUERCUE PTET OFISTESEDETENEET ODEO DL OLED TSCNELSSGUADORULEC ETCH OEREDLANOE TEEN IN EERELAETEDONEED IVER THDOOOREFFFESERELECESESEOUPRRDORUDENEESERSEESESCARERERE ISOS EOEEESEOES 


THE CREATOR AND SUSTAINER 
OF THE UNIVERSE 


ET my whole being bless the Lord! 
O Lord, my God, thou art very great; 
Thou art robed with majesty and honor; 
2 Who veilest thyself in light as in a garment; 
Who stretchest out the heavens like a tent; 
3 Who lays the beams of his upper chambers in the 
waters; 
Who makes the clouds his chariot; 
Who walks upon the wings of the wind; 
4 Who makes the winds his messengers; 
His ministers, flames of fire. 
_s He founded the earth upon its pillars, 
That it might not be moved forever and ever. 


6 Thou didst cover it with the deep as with a garment; 
The waters stood upon the mountains. 

7 At thy rebuke they fled; 
At the sound of thy thunder they fled in terror. 

8 The mountains rose, the valleys sank down, 
To the place which thou hadst founded for them. 

g Thou didst set a limit which they should not cross over, 
So that they should not again cover the earth. 


10 He causes fountains to flow in the valleys; 
Between mountains they run. 

11 They furnish drink for all the beasts of the field; 
Wild asses quench their thirst there. 

12 Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell, 
From among the branches they send forth song. 


[ 164 ] 


_THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE | 


13 Thou waterest the mountains from thy upper chambers; 


The earth is filled full of the fruit of thy works. 


14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, 
And fodder for the working animals of man, 
So that bread may come forth from the earth; 
15 And wine may cheer man’s heart, 
Making his face brighter than oil; 
And bread to stay man’s heart. 


16 The trees of the Lord are satisfied, 

The cedars of Lebanon which he planted; 
17 Wherein the birds build their nests, 

And the stork, whose home is the cypress. 
18 The high mountains are for the wild goats; 

The rocks are a refuge for the marmots. 


19 He made the moon for fixed seasons; 
The sun knows its time of setting; 
20 Thou makest darkness and it becomes night, 
In which all the beasts of the forest prowl, 
21 The young lions roaring after prey, 
And seeking their food from God. 
22 When the sun rises, they withdraw, 
And crouch in their dens. 
23 Man goes forth to his work, 
And to his labor until evening. 


24 How many are thy works, O Lord! 
In wisdom hast thou made them all. 
The earth is full of thy creations. 

25 There is the sea, great and broad, 
Where are creeping things innumerable: 


[ 165 | 


THE PSALMS 
Creatures small and great 
Go there like ships; 
26 The Leviathan whom thou didst form to play with. 
27 They all wait upon thee, 
To give them their food in due season. 
28 What thou givest them, they gather up; 
When thou openest thy hand, they are satisfied with 
good things. 
29 When thou hidest thy face, they are worried; 
When thou takest away their breath they die, 
And turn again into dust. 
30 When thou sendest forth thy breath, they are created; 
And thou renewest the face of the earth. 


31 May the glory of the Lord be forever! 

May the Lord rejoice in his works! 
32 He looks at the earth and it quakes; 

He touches the mountains and they smoke! 
33 I will sing of the Lord as long as I live; 

I will play praises to my God as long as I breathe. 
34 May my meditation please him! 

I will rejoice in the Lord. 
35 Let sinners vanish from the earth! 

And may the wicked be no more! 

Let my whole being bless the Lord! 

Hallelujah! 
10S 
THE WONDERS OF GOD 


IVE thanks to the Lord; call upon his name! 
Make known his deeds among the peoples! 
2 Sing to him; play praises to him! 
Tell of all his wonders! 
[ 166 j 


THE WONDERS OF GOD 


3 Glory in his holy name! 

May the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice! 
4 Inquire of the Lord and his might! 

Seek his face continually! 


5 Remember the wonders that he has done, 
His portents, and the judgments of his mouth, 
6 O descendants of Abraham, his servant, 
Children of Jacob, his chosen! 
7 He is the Lord, our God; 
His judgments are in all the earth. 
8 He remembers his covenant forever, 
The word he has given, for a thousand generations; 
g The covenant he made with Abraham, 
And his oath to Isaac. 


10 For he confirmed it to Jacob as a statute, 
To Israel as an eternal covenant; 
11 Saying, “To you I give the land of Canaan, 
As your portion and inheritance.” 
12 When they were but few in number, 
Of slight importance and but strangers therein; 
13 When they went back and forth from one nation to 
another, 
And from one kingdom to another people, 
14 He permitted no man to oppress them, 
And warned kings concerning them, 
15‘“Touch not my anointed, 
And do my prophets no harm!” 


16 Then he called a famine upon the land. 
He broke every staff of bread. 


[ 167 | 


THE PSALMS 


17 He sent forth a man before them; 
Joseph was sold as a slave. 

18 They forced his feet into fetters; 
He himself was laid in irons. 

1g Until what he had said came about, 
The word of the Lord tested him. 


20 The king sent and released him, 
The ruler of peoples, and set him free. 

21 He made him overseer of his house, 
And ruler over all his possessions; 

22 That he might give orders to his officers as he pleased, 
And might instruct his elders. 


23 Then Israel went into Egypt, 
And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham. 
24 And he made his people very prolific, 
And made them more numerous than their foes. 
25 He changed their heart so that they hated his people, 
So that they dealt treacherously with his servants. 
26 He sent forth Moses, his servant, 
And Aaron, whom he had chosen. 


27 They wrought among them wondrous signs, 
And portents in the land of Ham. 

28 He sent forth darkness so that it became dark; 
But they rebelled against his words. 

29 He turned their water into blood, 
And so killed their fish. 

30 Their land swarmed with frogs; 
They were in the chambers of their kings. 

31 He spoke and a swarm of flies came, 
Mosquitoes throughout their country. 


[ 168 | 


THE WONDERS OF GOD 
32 He gave them hail for rain; 
Flaming fire was in their land. 
33 He smote their vine and fig tree, 
And broke down the trees of their country. 
34 He spoke, and the locust came, 
And insects innumerable. 
35 They ate up all the fodder in their land; 
They ate up all the products of their soil. 
36 Then he smote all the first-born in their land, 
The first-fruits of all their virile strength. 


37 And he sent them forth with silver and gold, 
And there was no straggler in their ranks; 
38 Egypt was glad when they went forth, 
For terror had fallen upon them. 
39 He spread out a cloud as a screen, 
And fire to give light by night. 
40 They asked, and he brought in quails; 
And with bread from the heavens he satisfied them. 
41 He split the rock and water flowed forth; 
There ran a river in the sands, 


42 For he remembered his sacred word 
To Abraham, his servant. 
43 And he brought forth his people with joy, 
His chosen ones with joyous song. 
44 And he gave them the lands of the nations; 
Of the toil of the peoples they took possession. 
45 That they might keep his statutes 
And observe his laws. 


Hallelujah! 


[ 169 | 


THE PSALMS 


106 
THE LONG-SUFFERING GOD 


ALLELUJAH! 
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 
For his grace is everlasting. 
2 Who can tell the mighty deeds of the Lord? 
Or publish all his praise? 


3 Happy are they who observe justice, 
Who do right at all times! 

4 Remember me, O Lord, in thy favor toward thy people; 
Visit me when thou deliverest them; 

5 That I may look upon the welfare of thy chosen, 
That I may rejoice in the joy of thy nation, 
That I may glory with thine inheritance. 


6 We have sinned like our fathers; 
We have done evil; we have acted wickedly. 
7 Our fathers in Egypt disregarded thy wonders; 
They re.rembered not the abundance of thy grace; 
But rebelled against the Most High at the Sea of Reeds. 
8 Yet he delivered them for the sake of his reputation, 
In order to make known his might. 
9 So he rebuked the Sea of Reeds and it became dry, 
And heled them through the deeps as through a meadow. 
10 He rescued them from hostile hands, 
And delivered them from the power of the foe. 
11 And the water covered their enemies; 
Not one of them survived. 
12 Then did they believe his word; 
They sang his praise. 


[ 170 ] 


THE LONG-SUFFERING GOD 


AUNNEUTUET EU VNNETT ET ERE ETE NEED 


13 But they soon forgot his deeds; 
They waited not for his advice. 

14 They felt a craving in the wilderness, 
And they tried God in the waste. 

15 And he granted their request, 
But sent disease upon them. 

16 When they were envious of Moses in the camp, 
And of Aaron, the holy one of the Lord, 

17 The earth opened and swallowed Dathan, 
And engulfed the company of Abiram. 

18 Fire burned up their company; 
Fire consumed the wicked. 


19 They made a calf in Horeb, 
And worshiped a molten image. 
20 Thus they exchanged their glory 
For the image of an ox that eats fodder! 
21 They forgot God who had delivered them, 
Who had done great things in Egypt, 
22 Wonderful things in the land of Ham, 
Terrible things at the Sea of Reeds. 
23 So he threatened to destroy them, 
Had not Moses, his chosen one, 
Stood in the breach before him 
To turn back his wrath from destruction. 


24 Then they rejected the pleasant land, 
They did not believe his promise; 
25 But grumbled in their tents. 
They did not listen to the voice of the Lord. 
26 So he swore to them with uplifted hand, 
That he would let them perish in the desert, 


[ 171 ] 


THE PSALMS 


27 And that he would scatter their descendants among 
the nations; 

And strew them through the lands. 

28 They allied themselves with Baal of Peor, 
And ate sacrifices offered to the dead. 

29 They offended him by their deeds, 
And plague broke out among them. 

30 But Phinehas stood up and executed judgment, 
And the plague was checked. 

31 That has been credited to him as righteousness 
Throughout the generations forever. 


32 They stirred him to anger also at the waters of Meribah, 
And it went hard with Moses on their account, 
33 Because they embittered his spirit, 
And he spoke rashly with his lips. 
34 They did not destroy the peoples, 
As the Lord had commanded them; 
35 But mingled with the nations, 
And learned their works. 
36 So they served their idols, 
Which became a snare to them. 


37 And they sacrificed their sons 
And their daughters to demons. 
38 And they shed innocent blood, 
The blood of their sons and their daughters, 
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; 
And the land was polluted with bloodshed. 
39 They became unclean through their acts, 
And played the harlot by their deeds. 


40 So the anger of the Lord was hot against his people, 
And he loathed his heritage. 


[172 ] 


THE LONG-SUFFERING GOD 


41 And he gave them over to the power of the nations, 
And those who hated them ruled over them. 
42 Their enemies oppressed them, 
And they were subdued under their hand. 
43 Many times did he deliver them, 
But they followed their own stubborn counsel, 
And were brought low by their guilt. 


44 But he saw when they were in trouble, 

When he heard their cry for help; 
45 And he recalled for them his covenant, 

And had compassion in accord with his plenteous grace. 
46 He made them objects of compassion, also, 

On the part of all their captors. 


47 Deliver us, O Lord, our God, 
And gather us from among the nations, 
That we may give thanks to thy holy name, 
That we may glory in thy praise. 

48 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, 
From age unto age; 
And let all the people say, “Amen.” 

Hallelujah! 


[173 ] 





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BOOK V 
PSS 107-50 


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107 
GOD IN HISTORY 
H, GIVE thanks to the Lord, for he is good 


For his grace is everlasting.” 
2 So may they say, whom the Lord has rescued, 
Whom he has rescued from the hand of the foe; 
3 Those whom he has gathered in from the lands, 
From east and west, 
From north and south. 


4 They wandered in the wilderness, in the waste, 
They found no way to an inhabited town. 

5 They were hungry and thirsty, 
Their courage collapsed within them. 

6 When they cried to the Zord in their trouble, 
He delivered them from their distress, 

7 And guided them in the right way, 
So that they came to an inhabited town. 

8 Let them thank the Lord for his grace, 
And his wonders toward the sons of men. 

9 For he satisfied the thirsty spirit, 
And the hungry heart he filled with good. 


10 Those who dwelt in darkness and in deepest gloom, 


Bound in misery and iron; 

11 Because they opposed the orders of God, 
And spurned the counsel of the Most High; 
12 He bowed down their heart with labor; 
They stumbled, with none to help. 

13 When they cried to the Zord in their trouble, 
He delivered them from their distress. 


[177] 


| VUREDERDSAaEDNsovessaoayrEnDeUOEROREEVEERENEELreeeeree renee cereveryUeaUseETTENETENE PTOI IT IVEVERENEEL ENTE L EH He ee EEC ED ENTE ON ay) /FEPETEESEFEREPRTDENEU ITER EEFED SEE STEIN PES HO OHOO AP HEFER TEES Hee o ON Sere OOrrER 


14 He brought them out of darkness and deepest gloom, 
And burst their bonds asunder. 

1s Let them thank the Lord for his grace, 
And his wonders toward the sons of men. 

16 For he shattered bronze doors, 
And broke down iron bars. 


17 Fools, because of their wicked ways 
And because of their guilty deeds, were afflicted. 
18 They loathed every kind of food, 
And they drew near to the gates of death. 
19 When they cried to the Lord in their trouble, 
He delivered them from their distress. 
20 He sent forth his word to heal them, 
And to free them from their graves. 
21 Let them thank the Lord for his grace, 
And his wonders toward the sons of men. 
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, 
And tell of his works with song. 


23 Those who go down to the sea in ships, 
And do business in the great waters, 

24 They saw the works of the Lord, 
And his wonders in the deep. 

25 For he spoke and raised up the storm-wind, 
Which lifted its billows on high. 

26 They mounted to the heavens, they descended to the 

depths. 

They were dissolved in their distress. 

27 They reeled and staggered like a drunken man, 
And were at their wits’ end. 

28 When they cried to the Zord in their trouble, 
He delivered them from their distress. 


[ 178 ] 


SONU ULETUTTEDEDENTTY PEUEPE OSE TU FTERTOPOTOOODPURT PRETEDEFERTNERODED TITS EEENTESTTNFEDED DN DEO TOFUTRSENITERETOOERRET DODOTORE DERE FHTTED: 


GOD IN HISTORY 





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29 He stilled the storm to a whisper, 
And the waves were hushed. 
30 Then they rejoiced because they were quiet, 
And he brought them to their desired haven. 
31 Let them thank the Lord for his grace, 
And his wonders to the children of men. 
32 And let them exalt him in the assembly of the people, 
And praise him in the company of the elders. 


33 He turned rivers into a desert, 
And springs of water into parched ground; 
34 A fruitful land into a salt-marsh, 
Because of the wickedness of those who dwelt therein. 
35 He turned a desert into pools of water, 
And dry land into springs of water; 
36 And he settled the hungry there, 
So that they established an inhabited town. 


37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards, 
Which yielded fruits for harvest. 

38 Then he blessed them and they multiplied greatly, 
And he suffered not their cattle to decrease. 

39 When they themselves decreased and were brought low, 
Through oppression, adversity, and sorrow, 

40 He poured contempt upon the princes, 
And made them wander in the trackless waste. 

41 But he exalted the needy above affliction, 
And made his families like a flock. 


42 Let the righteous see and rejoice, 
And all wickedness shut its mouth. 

43 Whoso is wise, let him heed such things, 
And consider the gracious acts of the Lord. 


[179 ] 


THE PSALMS 


MEREQULEUHEDERANHOREEUON DAD DADENOVULEARHOATTRNDAAN UREN IOS OrEOL TEEN TDEPERETSTOA CUNO REREESDEEERENGUS OA EAUREESCATODAPESEAUUERAGASUENOSERSAERSED COSULDOCEEERDSESEAEES TASECICLELELDSEESEREATUT OEY EEESOTEESHTOUOHADOREREDEDETYTENOOYEN STONE EN EAETENENOTSENTY DY EOPORYETERERERED LOOP SOO PEREEE oe 


108 
A PRAYER FOR GOD’S HELP 
[A SONG; A PSALM OF DAVID] 


Y HEART is steadfast, O God; 
I will sing and play. 
2 Awake, then, my glory! 
Awake, lute and lyre! 
I will awaken the dawn! 
3 I will praise thee among the peoples, O Lord, 
I will play to thee among the nations. 
4 For thy grace is great even unto the heavens, 
And thy faithfulness extends to the skies. 
5 Arise above the heavens, O God! 
Let thy glory be over all the earth! 


6 That thy loved ones may be rescued, 
Give victory by thy right hand and answer us! 

7 God has spoken in his sanctuary: 

“T will exult; I will divide Shechem; 
And measure off the valley of Succoth. 

8 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; 
Ephraim is the defense of my head; 
Judah is my scepter. 

9 Moab is my washbow]; 

Upon Edom I cast my sandal; 

Over Philistia I raise the shout of victory. 
10 Who will bring me to the fortified city? 

Who will lead me to Edom?” 


11 Hast thou not rejected us, O God? 
And thou goest not forth with our armies, O God! 


[ 180 | 


A MALEDICTION 
12 Give us aid against the foe; 
For futile is the help of man. 
13 Through God we shall do valiantly; 
For he will tread down our foes. 


109 
A MALEDICTION 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: OF DAVID; A PSALM| 


OD whom I praise, be not silent! 
2 For they have opened wicked and deceitful 
mouths against me. 
They talk about me with a lying tongue, 
3 With malicious words do they encircle me, 
And they attack me for no cause. 
4 In return for my love, they are my enemies; 
While I rescued them. 
5 So they return me evil for good, 
And hatred for my love. 


6 Appoint thou a wicked man over him; 
And may Satan stand at his right hand! 

7 When he is put on trial may he come forth guilty; 
And may his prayer become a sin! 

8 May his days be few! 
Let another take his office! 

9 May his children be fatherless 
And his wife a widow! 

10 May his children wander about and beg; 

And may they be expelled from their hovels! 


11 May his creditor levy upon all that he has, 
And may strangers plunder his earnings! 


[ 181 | 


THE PSALMS 
12 May there be none to show him kindness, 
Nor any to pity his fatherless children! 
13 May his posterity be cut off; 
In the next generation may their name be blotted out! 
14 May the guilt of his fathers be remembered of the Lord; 
And may the sin of his mother not be blotted out! 
15 May they be before the Lord continually; 
And may the memory of them be cut off from the earth! 


16 Because he remembered not to show kindness, 
But pursued the poor man, the needy, 
And the broken-hearted to kill him; 
17 Because he loved cursing and it entered into him; 
Because he disliked blessing and it remained far from 
him; 
18 And because he clothed himself with cursing as with a 
garment, 
And it entered into him like water, 
And was like oil in his bones; 
19 May it be unto him like a garment which enfolds him, 
And a girdle that he always wears. 
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord, 
And of those who speak evil against me! 


21 But thou, O God, my Lord, 
Deal with me, for the sake of thy reputation! 
Since thy grace is good, rescue me! 
22 For I am weak and needy, 
And my heart is dead within me! 
23 Like a lengthening shadow I am passing away; 
I am shaken off like a locust. 
24 My knees give way from fasting; 
My flesh is wasting away and unanointed with oil. 


[ 182 | 


A PROMISE OF GOD’S AID TO THE KING 


seensseessenes senseaarianee NOOO OLEEARANNOENEGAUD EGLO OE ODE RAORAAS: AAeANAnOne ne naeanenaeetsesennensannnesseners, cectenuneatinn: 


25 And I am become a taunt to them; 
All that see me wag their heads. 


26 Help me, O Lord, my God! 
Deliver me in accordance with thy grace! 
27 And let them know that this is thy hand; 
That thou, O Lord, hast done it! 
28 They may curse, but do thou bless! 
Let my adversaries be ashamed, but thy servant 
rejoice! 
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; 
May they wrap themselves in their shame as a robe. 
30 I will thank the Zord much with my mouth; 
And in the midst of many I will praise him. 
31 For he stands at the right hand of the poor, 
To save him from those who would condemn him. 


IIo 


A PROMISE OF GOD’S AID TO 
THE KING 


[OF DAVID; A PSALM] 


N ORACLE of the Lord to my lord: 
A “Sit at my right hand, 
Till I make your enemies your footstool.” 

2 The scepter of your strength the Lord sends forth from 

Zion. 

Reign in the midst of your enemies. 

3 Your people will volunteer freely in your day of war. 
In holy array, from the womb of dawn, 
The dew of your youth is yours. 


[ 183 ] 


THE PSALMS 


CNN ASRNDESOEMENEDEAUNNUUTOEDDSENE LILO EUDDEDYRNEGESSSERESEREOUODESUAOESEUEADEADEAUUAUCNOOACY POOLS FUROR OEHLEEOOUETETCOETOTD LE CEELPREEAROENNEUOPOLOEU AD YECTOERES ETPOEUESA ISON GTR ROLREREGHEEEEDSOIUAUUODESORNSREEEEAEDEAUSESUODETU LEV EREPEYOESDOAUNYOONNCOROEEARERRESDOESATEAECOU GAS HASTE EOSNERERE 


4 The Lord has sworn and he will not retract: 
“You shall be a priest for life, 
A Melchizedek, because of me.”’ 


5 The Lord is at your right hand. 
He has shattered kings in the day of his wrath. 
6 He will sit in judgment upon the nations; he will fill 
the valleys. 
He has shattered the chief over a broad land. 
7 From a brook by the wayside he will drink; 
Therefore he will lift up his head. 


eS BR 


THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD 
Ear iit 


SS 
I give thanks to the Lord with all my heart. 


a! 
In the council of the upright and in the assembly. 


a 
2 Great are the works of the Lord, 


ia 
To be studied by all who delight in them. 


rw 
3 Majestic and glorious is his work. 


a] 
And his righteousness stands fast forever. 


7 
4 He has made his wonders an enduring memory. 


[ 184 ] 


THE WONDERFUL WORKS OF GOD 


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o ADOUDUEDEEDVEHUCORELDEET ERNE YY CO FeNTE HOE LANHET EDS ART OTT EEFERED 


Gracious and merciful is the Lord. 
0 
5 He provided nourishment for those who fear him. 


» 


He remembers his covenant forever. 


a 
6 His powerful deeds he has made known to his people, 
5 
In giving them possession of the nations. 
yal 
7 The works of his hands are faithfulness and justice; 
E 
Trustworthy are all his precepts; 
o 
8 Sure are they forever and ever; 
y 
Done in faithfulness and uprightness. 
3 
9 He has sent forth release for his people. 
% 


His covenant he has ordained forever. 


Holy and terrible is his name. 
a 
10 The beginning of wisdom is reverence for the Lord; 
W 
It is good judgment in all who practice it. 
n 
His praise stands fast forever. 


[ 185 ] 


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THE PSALMS 


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112 
THE LOT OF THE PIOUS 
|G emacti 
SS 
Oh, the happiness of the man who reverences the Lord, 
el 
Who greatly delights in his commandments! 
A 
2 His posterity will be mighty in the land; 
. f | 
The generation of the upright will be blessed. 
om) 
3 Prosperity and riches will be in his house, 
7 
And his righteousness will endure forever. 
7 
4 Unto the upright he arises as a light in the darkness, 
n 
Gracious, merciful, and righteous. 
o 


5 It is well with the man who is a gracious lender, 
» 
Who conducts his business with justice; 


2 
6 For he will never be shaken. 


> 


The righteous man will be an abiding memory. 


ya 
7 He will not be frightened by evil tidings, 
[ 186 ] 





THE GENEROUS DEEDS OF GOD 


PENTR PLEO MES HOE TEESEFERTUN ENON ET EECEDETENSOOTTSEVEDEREVEDETELUTTU OOO ORRLOTETEERDEN DEEETTY | 


His heart is firm, trusting in the Lord, 


2) 
8 His heart is supported, he will not be afraid, 
y 
Until he gaze upon his foes. 
5 


9 He has scattered abroad; he has given to the needy; 


pd 
His righteousness will endure forever. 


His horn will be exalted in honor. 
oa 
10 The wicked will see and be vexed. 


w 
He will gnash his teeth and melt away. 


n 
The desire of the wicked will perish. 


113 
THE GENEROUS DEEDS OF GOD 


ALLELUJAH! 
Praise, O servants of the Lord; 
Praise the name of the Lord! 
2 Blessed be the name of the Lord, 
From henceforth even forever. 
3 From the rising of the sun unto its setting, 
Let the Lord’s name be praised. 


4 High above all nations is the Lord, 
Above the heavens is his glory. 


[ 187 ] 


THE PSALMS 
5s Who is like the Lord, our God, 
Seated on high, 
6 Seeing far below, 
In the heavens and on earth? 


7 He lifts up the poor from the dust; 
He raises the needy from the refuse heap, 
8 To make them sit with princes, 
With the princes of his people. 
g He makes the childless woman abide in the household 
As the happy mother of its children. 
Hallelujah! 


114 
THE WONDERS OF THE EXODUS 


HEN Israel went forth from Egypt, 
The house of Jacob from a people of alien speech, 
2 Judah became his sanctuary, 
Israel his domain. 


3 The sea saw it and fled; 
The Jordan turned back; 
4 The mountains skipped like rams, 


The hills like lambs. 


5 What ailed you, O sea, that you fled? 
Jordan, that you turned back? 

6 Mountains, that you skipped like rams? 
Hills, like lambs? 


7 Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, 
Before the God of Jacob; 

8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water, 
The flint into a fountain of water. 


[| 188 | 


GOD AND THE IDOLS 


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115 
GOD AND THE IDOLS 


OT unto us, O Lord, not unto us, 
But to thy name, give honor; 
Because of thy grace, because of thy faithfulness! 
2 Wherefore should the nations say, 
“Where, now, is their God?” 
3 Verily, our God is in the heavens; 
He does whatever he pleases. 


4 Their idols are but silver and gold, 
The products of men’s hands. 

5 They have mouths, but cannot speak; 
Eyes have they, but they cannot see; 

6 They have ears, but they cannot hear; 
Noses have they, but they cannot smell; 

7 They have hands, but they cannot handle; 
Feet have they, but they cannot walk; 
Nor can they make a sound in their throat. 

8 Those who make them will become just like them, 
Everyone who trusts in them. 


g O Israel, trust in the Lord! 
He is their help and their shield. 
to O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! 
He is their help and their shield. 
11 You who reverence the Lord, trust in the Lord! 


He is their help and their shield. 


12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless, 
He will bless the house of Israel; 
He will bless the house of Aaron; 


[ 189 ] 


THE PSALMS 
13 He will bless those who reverence the Lord, 
Both small and great. 


14 May the Lord give you increase, 
Both you and your children. 

15 Blessed be you of the Lord, 
Who made heaven and earth. 

16 The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, 
But the earth has he given to mankind. 


17 The dead will not praise the Lord, 
Nor any who go down into silence. 

18 But we, we will bless the Lord, 
From this time forth and forever. 


Hallelujah! 


116 
A SONG OF THANKSGIVING 


LOVE the Lord, because he hears 
The voice of my supplication, 
2 Because he inclines his ear to me; 
And I will call upon him as long as I live. 


3 The cords of death encircled me; 
And the tortures of Sheol found me; 
I found trouble and sorrow; 
4 But I called upon the name of the Lord, 
“O Lord, deliver me!” 


5 Gracious ts the Lord and righteous; 
And our God is merciful. 

6 The Lord guards the simple. 
When I am brought low, he delivers me. 


[ 190 ] 


A SONG OF THANKSGIVING 


Hn nenanene us aenaneaonanenENEAeenteey arene 


7 Return to your rest, O my heart, 
For the Lord has dealt well with you; 

8 For thou hast delivered me from death, 
My eyes from tears, 
And my foot from stumbling. 


9 I shall walk before the Lord 
In the lands of the living. 
10 I believe what I say; 
I am fully responsible for it; 
11 I say in my distress, 
“All mankind is unreliable.” 


12 How can I repay the Lord 
All his benefits to me? 
13 I take the cup of deliverance, 
And I call upon the name of the Lord. 


14 I will pay my vows to the Lord, 

In the very presence of all his people. 
15 Precious in the eyes of the Lord 

Is the death of his saints. 


16 Ah, Lord, because I am thy servant, 
I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid, 
Thou hast loosened my bonds. 

17 I will offer to thee the thank-offering, 
And I call upon the name of the Lord. 


18 My vows to the Zord I will pay, 
In the very presence of all his people; 
1g In the courts of the house of the Lord, 
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem. 
Hallelujah! 


[191 ] 


THE PSALMS 


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117 
A SHOUT OF PRAISE 


RAISE the Lord, all nations; 
Laud him, all peoples; 
2 For his grace is mighty over us; 
And the faithfulness of the Lord is forever. 
Hallelujah! 


118 
EVERLASTING GRACE 


IVE thanks to the Lord; for he is good, 
For his grace is everlasting. 
2 Let Israel now say, 
That his grace is everlasting. 
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, 
That his grace is everlasting. 
4 Let those that reverence the Lord now say, 
That his grace is everlasting. 


5 When in straits, I called upon the Lord; 
He answered me with abundant room. 
6 With the Lord for me, I do not fear 
What man may do to me. 
7 With the Lord for me as my helper, 
I shall gaze in triumph on those who hate me. 
8 It is better to seek refuge in the Lord 
Than to trust in man. 
g It is better to seek refuge in the Lord 
Than to trust in princes. 


10 Though all nations surround me, 
In the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 


[ 192 ] 


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EVERLASTING GRACE 


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11 Though they encompass, yea, surround me, 
In the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 
12 Though they surround me like bees, 
Though they burn like a fire of thorns, 
In the name of the Lord I will destroy them. 


13 I was sore beset, about to fall, 
But the Lord helped me. 
14 The Lord is my strength and song, 
And he is become my deliverance. 
15 Hark, the joyous shout of triumph among the tents of 
the righteous! 
The right hand of the Zord works victoriously. 
16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted. 
The right hand of the Lord works victoriously. 


17 I shall not die, but live 
To tell of the deeds of the Lord. 

18 The Lord has disciplined me severely; 
But he has not given me up to death. 


19 Open for me the gates of victory, 
That I may enter through them to give thanks to the 
Lord. 
20 This is the gate of the Lord. 
Through which the victors may enter. 


21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me, 
And hast become my deliverance. 

22 The stone that the builders rejected 
Has become the chief cornerstone. 


23 From the Lord has this come, 
It is wonderful in our eyes. 


[ 193 ] 


PERC CUEPRDERY TREE DEERE FET erv eT res eH eR ere EN 


THE PSALMS 


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TEEN ANEOTUTNOEPRDETEORETEDELSTRETEOUETOE ET COTEEOTECEOEDETEOOTECEEDPOPEPEEREE CHESS ERE TEV ERED ITI OTRERFTESECS FOOTE TUR ITORSCOEVERTEONENET ESOT ITE CET ETON Y 


24 This is the day that the Lord has made; 
Let us rejoice and be glad therein! 


25 O Lord, deliver, I pray; 
O Lord, give success, I pray! 

26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the Lord; 
We will bless you from the house of the Lord! 


27 The Lord is God and he has given us light. 
Arrange the festal dance with branches, 
Up to the horns of the altar. 

28 Thou art my God, and I thank thee; 

My God, I exalt thee. 


29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, 
For his grace is everlasting. 


11g 
THE LAW OF THE LORD 


SS 
OW happy are they whose way is blameless, 
Who walk in the law of the Lord! 
2 How happy are they who keep his commands, 
Who seek him with the whole heart! 
3 Surely they do no wrong, 
But they walk in his ways. 
4 Thou hast ordered thy precepts 
That we should keep them diligently. 
5 O that my ways were firmly set 
To keep thy precepts! 
6 Then I should not be put to shame 
When I look upon all thy commandments. 


[ 194 ] 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 
7 I thank thee with a right heart 
When I learn thy righteous judgments. 
8 I will observe thy precepts; 
Do not wholly abandon me! 
on 
9g How can a young man keep his path pure? 
By heeding thy word. 
10 I seek thee with my whole heart; 
Let me not wander from thy commandments! 
11 I have stored thy message in my heart, 
That I may not sin against thee. 
12 Blessed be thou, O Lord; 
Teach me thy statutes! 
13 With my lips I recount 
All the judgments of thy mouth. 
14 In the way of thy commands I delight, 
As much as in all wealth. 
15 I meditate upon thy precepts, 
And I seek after thy paths. 
16 I find joy in thy statutes; 
I will not forget thy word. 


17 Deal generously with thy servant, that I may live, 
And may keep thy word. 

18 Unveil my eyes, that I may behold 
Wonderful things out of thy law. 

19 I am but a guest in the land; 
Hide not thy commandments from me! 

20 I study with eagerness 
Upon thy commandments all the time. 

21 Thou dost rebuke the arrogant, the accursed, 
Who go astray from thy commandments. 


[ 195 ] 


THE PSALMS 
22 Take away from me disgrace and scorn, 
For I have kept thy commands. 
23 Though princes sit and talk with me, 
Thy servant meditates upon thy statutes. 
24 Thy commands are my delight, 
They are my counselors. 
4 
25 My spirits cling to the dust; 
Revive me according to thy word. 
26 I have told of my ways and thou didst answer me; 
Teach me thy statutes. 
27 Make me understand the way of thy precepts, 
That I may meditate upon thy wonders. 
28 I shed tears because of sorrow; 
Raise me up according to thy word. 
29 False ways put far from me; 
And graciously grant me thy law. 
30 I have chosen the way of trustworthiness, 
Thy judgments I crave. 
31 I have clung to thy commands; 
O Lord, put me not to shame! 
32 I run in the way of thy commandments, 
For thou dost enlarge my heart. 


rT 
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, 
That I may keep it to the end. 
34 Make me to understand, that I may keep thy law, 
And observe it with my whole heart. 
35 Let me walk in the path of thy commandments; 
For therein do I delight. 
36 Incline my heart toward thy commands, 
And not toward profits. 


[ 196 ] 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 


37 Turn my eyes away from looking upon unreality; 
Revive me in thy way. 

38 Establish thy promise for thy servant, 
Which is for those who revere thee. 

39 Turn away from me the disgrace which I fear; 
For thy judgments are good. 

40 Lo, I have longed for thy precepts; 
Revive me through thy righteousness. 


: 
41 May thy gracious deeds come to me, O Lord, 
Thy deliverance according to thy promise; 
42 That I may answer those who insult me; 
For I have trusted in thy word. 
43 Do not snatch the word of truth utterly out of my 
mouth; 
For I have waited for thy judgment, 
44 Uhat I may observe thy law continually, 
Forever and ever. 
45 May I walk at large, 
Because I have sought thy precepts. 
46 I will speak of thy commands in the presence of kings, 
And I shall not be put to shame. 
47 I delight myself in thy commandments 
Which I love. 
48 I raise my hands to thy commandments which [ love; 
And I meditate upon thy statutes. 


) 
49 Remember the word to thy servant, 
Upon which thou hast led me to hope. 
so This is my comfort in my trouble, 
That thy promise revives me. 


[ 197 ] 


THE PSALMS 
51 The arrogant have scoffed at me bitterly, 
But I have not turned away from thy law. 
52 I remember thy judgments from of old, O Lord, 
And am comforted. 
53 Burning rage lays hold of me because of the wicked, 
Who abandon thy law. 
54 Thy statutes are my songs of praise, 
In my house of pilgrimage. 
55 I remember thy name in the night, O Lord, 
And I observe thy law. 
56 This is mine, 
That I keep thy precepts. 
rn 
57 The Lord is my portion; 
I have said that I would observe thy words. 
58 I beseech thee with my whole heart: 
Be gracious to me according to thy promise. 
59 I have considered my ways, 
And turned my feet toward thy commands. 
60 I have hasted, and not delayed 
In the observance of thy commandments. 
61 The cords of the wicked have encircled me, 
But I have not forgotten thy law. 
62 At midnight I rise up to give thee thanks, 
Because of thy righteous judgments. 
63 Iam the companion of all who revere thee, 
And observe thy precepts. 
64 The earth is full of thy grace, O Lord; 
Teach me thy statutes. 


2 
65 Thou hast treated thy servant well, 
O Lord, according to thy word. 


[ 198 ] 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 


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66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, 
For I have trusted in thy commandments. 
67 Before I was afflicted, I went astray; 
But now I keep thy sayings. 
68 Thou art good, and doest good; 
Teach me thy statutes. 
69 The arrogant have told lies about me; 
But I keep thy precepts with all my heart. 
70 Their heart 1s gross, like fat; 
But I delight in thy law. 
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, 
That I might learn thy statutes. 
72 The law of thy mouth is worth more to me 
Than thousands in gold and silver. 


= 


73 Thy hands made me and fashioned me; 
Give me understanding that I may learn thy com- 
mandments. 
74 May they who revere thee see me and rejoice, 
Because I wait upon thy word. 
75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, 
And that in good faith thou hast afflicted me; 
76 But now let thy grace comfort me, 
According to thy promise to thy servant. 
77 Let thy mercies come to me that I may live; 
For my delight is in thy law. 
78 Let the arrogant be put to shame, for they have falsely 
traduced me; 
But I will meditate upon thy precepts. 
79 Let those who revere thee turn to me, 
And those who know thy commands! 


[ 199 | 


THE PSALMS 
80 Let my heart be blameless in thy statutes, 
That I be not put to shame. 


2 
81 I pine for thy deliverance; 
I wait for thy word. 
82 My eyes fail for thy promise, 
Saying, “How long till thou comfort me?” 
83 Though I have become like a wine skin in the smoke, 
I have not forgotten thy statutes. 
84 How many are thy servant’s days? 
How long till thou execute judgment upon my pur- 
suers? 
85 Pits have been dug for me by the arrogant, 
Who are not in accord with thy law. 
86 All thy commandments are sure. 
They persecute me on false charges; help me! 
87 They have nearly destroyed me in the land; 
But I have not forsaken thy precepts. 
88 In accordance with thy grace revive me, 
That I may observe the commands of thy mouth. 


89 Forever, O Lord, 
Thy word stands fast in the heavens. 
go Thy faithfulness 1s for generation after generation; 
Thou didst establish the earth and it stood fast. 
gt By thy judgments they stand today; 
For all things are thy servants. 
g2 Had not thy law been my delight, 
Then I had perished in my affliction. 
93 I shall never forget thy precepts; 
For by them thou didst keep me alive. 


[ 200 ] 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 
94 I am thine, save me; 
For I have sought after thy precepts! 
gs The wicked lie in wait to ruin me; 
I consider thy commands. 
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection; 
Thy commandment is exceedingly broad. 


ye 
97 Oh, how I love thy law! 
It is my meditation all day long. 
98 Thy commandment makes me wiser than my foes; 
For it is always mine. 
99 I am wiser than all my teachers; 
For thy commands are my meditation. 
100 I have more discretion than the aged; 
For I have kept thy precepts. 
1o1 I have withheld my feet from every wicked path, 
That I might observe thy word. 
102 | have not turned aside from thy judgments; 
For thou thyself hast taught me. 
103 How sweet are thy promises to my palate, 
Sweeter than honey to my mouth! 
104 From thy precepts I get discretion; 
Therefore I hate every false way. 


= 
105 Thy word is a lamp to my feet, 
And a light on my path. 
106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, 
To observe thy righteous judgments. 
107 I am sorely afflicted; 
O Lord, revive me in accordance with thy word. 


[ 201 ] 


THE PSALMS 
108 Accept, now, O Lord, the voluntary offerings of my 
mouth, | 
And teach me thy judgments. 
109 I carry my life in my hand continually, 
But I have not forgotten thy law. 
110 The wicked set a trap for me, 
But I have not strayed from thy precepts. 
111 I have thy commands as a heritage forever; 
For they are the joy of my heart. 
112 I incline my heart to execute thy statutes, 
Henceforth forever. 


113 I hate dissemblers; 
But I love thy law. 
114 Thou art my shelter and my shield; 
I wait for thy word. 
115 Depart from me, O doers of evil, 
That I may keep the commandments of my God. 
116 Sustain me according to thy promise that [ may live; 
And make me not ashamed of my hope. 
117 Strengthen me that I may be delivered; 
And let me constantly contemplate thy statutes. 
118 Thou dost despise all who swerve from thy statutes, 
For their deceit is useless. 
119 Like dross, thou puttest an end to all the wicked of the 
earth; 
Therefore I love thy commands. 
120 My flesh creeps in awe of thee, 
And I am afraid of thy judgments. 


% 
121 I have done what is just and right; 
Leave me not to my oppressors. 


[ 202 | 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 

122 Pledge me thy word for good; 
Let not the arrogant oppress me. 

123 My eyes fail with longing for thy deliverance, 
And for thy righteous promise. 

124 Deal with thy servant according to thy grace; 
And teach me thy decrees. 

125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, 
That I may know thy commands. 

126 It is time for the Lord to act; 
They have broken thy law. 

127 Therefore I love thy commandments, 
More than gold or beaten gold. 

128 Therefore I declare all thy precepts to be right; 
I hate every false path. 


5) 
129 [Thy commandments are wonderful; 
Therefore will I keep them. 
130 The exposition of thy words gives light, 
Giving understanding to the open-hearted. 
131 I have opened wide my mouth and panted; 
For I long for thy commandments. 
132 Turn toward me and be gracious to me, 
As is the right of those who love thy name. 
133 Establish my footsteps by thy saying, 
And let no wrong have power over me. 
134 Free me from man’s oppression, 
That I may observe thy precepts. 
135 Let thy face beam upon thy servant, 
And teach me thy decrees. 
136 With streams of water my eyes run down, 
Over those who have not kept thy law. 


[ 203 ] 


THE PSALMS 


nTNDEDYSNREPORESRODINEDETORECERTSEUDODOODINON TREO ETE DET IVETECITEREREROERORSONE RTT ORO SD AEDS vEDENINEEYT? VOOUPRAUR SPUD LERNRNNEECOLOHDEDESTEEHESD TETeDEREE DEH EO ENED TREE TERDeNTEEEONrtY 


pd 
137 Thou art righteous, O Lord, 
And thy judgment is right. 
138 Thou hast issued thy commands in righteousness, 
And in exceeding faithfulness. 
139 My zeal consumes me, 
Because my foes forget thy words. 
140 Thy promise has been tried to the utmost, 
And thy servant loves it. 
141 Little am I, and insignificant, 
But I have not forgotten thy precepts. 
142 Thy righteousness is right forever; 
And thy law is truth. 
143 Trouble and anguish befall me; 
But thy commandments are my delight. 
144 Thy commands are eternally right; 
Give me understanding that I may live. 


145 I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord! 
I will keep thy decrees. 
146 I call upon thee; deliver me, 
That I may keep thy commands. 
147 I arise at dawn, and call for help; 
I wait for thy word. 
148 My eyes anticipate the night-watches, 
In meditation upon thy promise. 
149 Hear my voice according to thy grace; 
O Lord, revive me, according to thy justice. 
150 My pursuers are in close touch with malice; 
But they are far from thy law. 
151 Thou art near, O Lord; 
And all thy commandments are true. 


[ 204 ] 


THE LAW OF THE LORD 


Menaeeeeene nner eEELGERESEELEGSOEAESEEOEELELELEBSADONSES ORO ESEDL ORESAPUSSABUEGUGUOEUPAEDLODONRAOADE AGA OOOOASADESLSEDEOOEALSA DES IONSENPEAGES: 





152 Long ago I knew from thy commands, 
That thou hadst founded them forever. 


aa 


153 Behold my affliction, and rescue me; 

For I have not forgotten thy law! 
154 Plead thou my case, and avenge me; 

Revive me in accordance with thy promise. 
155 Deliverance is far from the wicked; 

For they have not sought thy statutes. 
156 Thy mercies are many, O Lord; 

Revive me according to thy justice. 
157 Many are my pursuers and my foes, 

But I have not turned away from thy commands. 
158 I see apostates and loathe them, 

Because they do not keep thy word. 
159 See how I love thy precepts! 

O Lord, revive me according to thy grace. 
160 The sum of thy word is truth; 

And all thy righteous judgments are forever. 


W 
161 Princes persecute me without cause; 
But my heart is in awe of thy word. 
162 I delight in thy promise, 
Like one who finds abundant spoil. 
163 Falsehood IJ hate and loathe; 
Thy law do I love. 
164 Seven times daily I praise thee, 
Because of thy righteous judgments. 
165 Great prosperity have they who love thy law, 
And no obstacles confront them. 


[ 205 ] 


MOtsanenensnnenanssenaseennnentesuasnaaseasusesenenensinensanssss4hPenesnssernonsensesenaornersnanonrss seston 


THE PSALMS 
166 I hope for thy deliverance, O Lord, 
And I do thy commandments. 
167 I keep thy commands, 
And I love them dearly. 
168 I observe thy precepts and thy commands; 
For all my ways are before thee. 


n 
169 Let my cry come before thee, O Lord; 
Give me understanding according to thy word. 
170 Let my entreaty come before thee; 
Rescue me according to thy promise. 
171 Let my lips speak forth praise, 
Because thou dost teach me thy statutes. 
172 May my tongue sing of thy word, 
For all thy commandments are right. 
173 May thy hand come to my help, 
For I have chosen thy precepts. 
174 I long for thy deliverance, O Lord, 
And thy law is my delight. 
i75 May I live to praise thee, 
And may thy justice help me. 
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; 
For I have not forgotten thy commandments. 


120 
A WARNING TO LIARS 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS] 


O THE Lord in my distress 
I call, and he answers me. 
2 O Lord, deliver me from lying lips, 
From the deceitful tongue. 


[ 206 | 


THE GUARDIAN GOD 


3 What will he give you, and what more, 
O deceitful tongue? 

4 The sharpened arrows of the warrior, 
With live broom coals! 


5 Alas that I sojourn in Meshech, 
That I dwell with the clans of Kedar! 
6 Too long a time have I dwelt 
with the haters of peace. 
7 I am for peace, but when I speak 
they are for war! 


121 
THE GUARDIAN GOD 
[A SONG FOR THE ASCENTS| 


RAISE my eyes to the hills; 
Whence does my help come? 
2 My help is from the Lord, 
Who made the heavens and earth. 


3 He will not let your foot slip, 

your guardian will not slumber. 
4 He will neither slumber, nor sleep, 

that guards Israel. 


5 The Lord is your guardian; 
The Lord is your shade upon your right hand. 
6 By day the sun will not smite you, 
nor the moon by night. 


[ 207 | 


LENDROAEOSOMONAUUESOULCANENAATONCH CON SORONA NEEEABENAS CE DOAOETEAARCTTHOGE NOLDEROLSEDAREGEONGRACGSICIAEIENSSCSNESEANDULENOLEES CDEDHONLORDDEEEDGLEFOLOCbe 


THE PSALMS 
7 The Lord will guard you from all evil; 
the Lord will guard your life. 
8 The Lord will guard your goings and comings 
henceforth and forever. 


122 
A PRAYER FOR JERUSALEM 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID] 


I WAS glad when they said to me, 
“Let us go to the house of the 
Lord.” 
2 Our feet are standing 
within your gates, O Jerusalem; 
3 Jerusalem that is rebuilt like a city, 
with which, moreover, the law of 
| Israel is united; 
4 Whither the tribes go up, 
the tribes of the Lord, 
To give thanks to the name of the Lord; 
5 For there were set thrones of judgment, 
The thrones of the house of David. 


6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; 
They will prosper who love you. 
7 Peace be within your walls, 
Tranquillity in your palaces! 
8 For the sake of my brothers and my friends, 
I will say, “Peace be with you!” 
g For the sake of the house of the Lord, our God, 
I will seek your good. 


[ 208 | 


123 
A SONG OF SIGHS 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS] 


NTO thee I raise my eyes, 
O thou, who dwellest in the heavens! 

2 Lo, as the eyes of slaves are to the hand of their master, 
As the eyes of a maid are to the hand of her mistress, 
So our eyes are toward the Lord, our God, 

Till he take pity upon us. 


3 Have pity on us, O Lord, have pity on us! 
For we are abundantly sated with contempt. 
4 We are abundantly sated with it, 
With the scorn of the arrogant, 
The contempt of the insolent. 


124 
A SONG OF GRATITUDE 


[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID] 


AD it not been the Lord who was on our side,” 
Let Israel say, 
2“Had it not been the Lord who was on our side, 
When men rose up against us, 
3 Then had they swallowed us up alive, 
When their anger blazed forth against us; 
4 Then had the waters swept us away, 
The torrent had gone over us; 
5 Then had gone over us 
The seething waters.” 


[ 209 ] 


THE PSALMS 
6 Blessed be the Lord, 
Who did not yield us a prey to their teeth. 
7 We are like a bird escaped from the fowler’s snare; 
The snare is broken and we have escaped. 
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, 
Who made the heavens and the earth. 


106 
UNSHAKABLE FAITH 


[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS| 


HEY who trust in the Lord 
Are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved, 
But abides forever. 
2 Even as the mountains encircle Jerusalem, 
So the Lord encircles his people, 
From henceforth and forever. 


3 For the wicked scepter will not rest upon the lot of the 
righteous, 
That the righteous may not put forth their hands unto 
wrong. 
4 Do good, O Lord, to the good, 
And to them that are upright in heart. 
5 But those who make their ways crooked— 
May the Lord make them go with malefactors! 
Peace be upon Israel! 


[ 210 ] 


SHOUTS OF ¥OY 


AEEPOSSENONVNY ETO FUNTONTET ET 


126 
SHOUTS OF JOY 


[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS] 


HEN the Lord brings back captive Zion 
We shall be comforted! 
2 Then will our mouth be filled with laughter, 
And our tongue with shouts of joy. 
Then will they say among the nations, 
“The Lord has done great things for them.” 
3 The Lord has done great things for us; 
We are glad. 


4 Turn our captivity, O Lord, 
Like torrents in the southland. 
5 May those who sow in tears 
Reap with shouts of joy! 
6 He who goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, 
Will indeed come back with joyful shouts, bearing his 
sheaves. 


197 
THE SUSTAINING GOD 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS. OF SOLOMON] 


NLESS the Lord build the house, 
Its builders toil thereon in vain. 
Unless the Lord keep the city, 
The watchman keeps awake in vain. 
2 In vain do you rise up early, 
And stay up late, 
And eat hard-earned bread; 
So he gives his loved ones sleep. 


[ arr | 


THE PSALMS 
3 Lo, children are a heritage from the Lord; 
The fruit of the womb is a reward. 
4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, 
So are the children of one’s youth. 
5 How happy is the man whose quiver is filled with them! 
They will not be put to shame when they speak with 
their enemies in the gate. 


128 
THE TRULY HAPPY MAN 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS]| 


OW happy is everyone who reveres the Lord, 
Who walks in his ways! 
2 Of the toil of your hands you shall eat; 
Happy and prosperous shall you be! 


3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, 
In the interior of your house; 
Your children like young olive-trees, 
Around your table. 

4 For lo, thus shall the man be blessed, 
Who reveres the Lord. 


5 The Lord bless you from Zion! 
And may you look upon the welfare of Jerusalem 
All the days of your life! 

6 And may you look upon your children’s children! 
Peace be upon Israel! 


[ 212 | 


THE FLEETING FORTUNE OF THE WICKED 


129 


THE FLEETING FORTUNE OF 
THE WICKED 


[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS| 


ROSSLY have they abused me from my youth 
up,” 
May Israel, indeed, say; 
2“Grossly have they abused me from my youth up, 
But they have not prevailed against me. 
3 The plowers plowed upon my back, 
They made their furrows long,” 
4 But the Lord is righteous; 
He has cut the cords of the wicked. 


5 They are put to shame and turned back, 
All who hate Zion. 

6 They will be like the grass on the roofs, 
That withers before it is plucked, 

7 With which the reaper does not fill his hands, 
Nor the binder of sheaves his bosom. 

8 Those passing by will not say to them, 

“The blessing of the Lord be upon you; 
We bless you in the name of the Lord!” 


130 
DE PROFUNDIS 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS| 


UT of the depths I cry to thee, O Lord! 
O Lord, hear my voice! 
Let thine ears be attentive 
To my supplicating voice. 


[ 213 | 


THE PSALMS 
3 If thou, O Lord, shouldst record iniquities, 
O Lord, who could stand? 
4 But with thee there is forgiveness, 
That thou mayst be revered. 


s I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, 
And for his word I hope. 

6 I wait for the Lord, 
More than watchmen for the dawn, 
Watchmen for the dawn. 


7 Hope, O Israel, in the Lord, 
For with the Lord is grace, 
And with him is plenteous redemption. 
For he will redeem Israel 
From all its guilt. 


131 
A PATIENT SAINT 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID] 


Y HEART is not proud, O Lord, 
Nor are my eyes lofty; 
Nor do I deal with things 
Too great and too wonderful for me. 


2 I have certainly calmed and stilled my spirit, 
Like a weaned child with its mother; 
My spirit is with me like a weaned child. 

3 Wait, O Israel, for the Lord, 
From henceforth and forever! 


[ 214 ] 


Se 


THE ANCIENT PROMISE 


132 
THE ANCIENT PROMISE 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS]| 


EMEMBER, O Lord, for David’s sake, 
All his affliction: 

2 How he swore to the Lord, 

And vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob: 
3°1 will not enter my dwelling-house, 

Nor will I mount my bed to lie down, 
4 Nor permit sleep to mine eyes, 

Nor slumber to mine eyelids, 
5 Until I find a place for the Lord, 

A dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 


6 Lo, we heard of it in Ephrathah; 
We found it in the fields of Jaar. 

7 Let us go to his dwelling, 
Let us worship at his footstool. 

8 Arise, O Lord, to thy resting-place, 
Thou and the ark of thy strength. 

9 Let thy priests robe themselves in righteousness, 
And thy saints shout with joy. 

10 Because of David, thy servant, 

Turn not away the face of thine anointed. 


11 The Lord swore to David 
An inviolable oath from which he will not swerve: 
“Of the fruit of your body, 
I will establish a dynasty for you. 


[215 ] 


SASURESALUREADNSCATLESUSSUSERBERIUEDONSDESDEDERIEDIDH SEMEL OSAOTSEDESRUNELESLEADUNS DINO NUSH VRSSEREWNOLAENEASeHHTNeensepeNeDSSseoESENEREORED 


THE PSALMS 
12 If your sons keep my covenant, 
And my commands which I teach them, 
Then their sons, forever, 
Shall sit upon your throne.” 
13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; 
He has desired it for his dwelling-place: 


14°“This is my resting-place forever; 
Here will I dwell, for I desired it. 
15 I will richly bless its food supply, 
Its needy I will satisfy with bread. 
16 Its priests will I clothe with salvation, 
And its saints shall shout aloud with joy. 
17 There will I cause a horn to spring forth for David; 
I will set in order a lamp for mine anointed, 
18 His enemies I will clothe with shame; 
But upon him his diadem shall shine.” 


133 
ZION’S PERPETUAL BLESSING 
[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS. OF DAVID] 


| hy HOW good and lovely it is 
When brethren dwell together as one. 
2 Like the goodly oil upon the head, 
Which flows down upon the beard, Aaron’s beard, 
That flows down upon the edge of his robes, 
3 So is the dew of Hermon that flows down upon the 
mountains of Zion; 
For there has the Lord commanded the blessing: 
Life for evermore. 


[ 216 ] 


A CALL TO WORSHIP 


anennnnnnensnssenveenveuneresterennn ren neRTTeseEDEsneyTsnt@eseTereneeneerynerenereenerTeneeseeenenerernr sen sesserenywssesnrensrerryreeressrrTeneenenenenesren nen seeBEnrTE ren SPTRISRERETESNTEONNETERTOTSDISTOOTDEOHTDEORNON TROREERDORSE RD ORDOT THE THES SHeTreEEDHenersetirersreerererneserser 


134 
A CALL TO WORSHIP 


[THE SONGS OF ASCENTS] 


O, BLESS the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, 
Who stand in the house of the Lord by night! 
2 Lift up your hands toward the sanctuary, 
And bless the Lord! 


3 May the Lord, maker of the heavens and the earth, 
Bless you from Zion. 


135 
A SONG OF PRAISE 


ALLELUJAH! 
Praise the name of the Lord! 
Praise him, O you servants of the Lord, 
2 Who stand in the house of the Lord, 
In the courts of the house of our God! 
3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good! 
Sing praises to his name, for he is praiseworthy. 
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob as his own, 
And Israel as his own treasure. 
5 I know, indeed, that the Lord, 
And our Lord, is greater than all the gods. 
6 The Lord does whatsoever he pleases, 
Whether in the heavens or on earth, 
In the seas and in all deeps; 
7 Raising clouds from the ends of the earth. 
He makes the lightning flashes for the rain, 
Bringing forth the wind from his treasuries. 


[217] 


THE PSALMS 


AUUEEEET STEEN ET ETET ELEY UA NENERTEUTENTEENEDERULUTTUN TEESE ET URAAETVEVEUPSINOTENETEEUDENYSYAERONONDOREEDESEEEERES PROVONEANA RESET DOTEINNAEN DERE RIONSRECERSERESOQUDEVECUPEERAGRDSOERERD EREORTOTOLTSOLSETOREORS ORT PONNESRHD SOO HOOROODOEPLED EST DEOLODEHEEErENETTEOTEREEEEAOREEETIENERELNENER 


8 It was he who smote the first-born of Egypt, 
Both of man and beast. 
9 He sent forth wonders and portents 
Into the midst of thee, O Egypt, 
Upon Pharaoh and upon all his servants! 
10 It was he who smote many nations, 
And slew mighty kings, 
11 Sihon, the king of the Amorites, 
Og, the king of Bashan, 
And all the kingdoms of Canaan. 
12 And he gave their land as a possession, 
A possession of his people Israel. 
13 O Lord, thy name is forever; 
O Lord, thy memorial is for all generations. 
14 For the Lord will give his people justice, 
And will have compassion upon his servants. 


15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, 
The product of men’s hands. 
16 They have a mouth, but cannot talk; 
Eyes have they, but cannot see; 
17 Ears have they, but cannot hear; 
Neither, indeed, is there any breath in their mouth. 
18 Those who make them will become like them, 
Everyone that trusts in them. 


19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord; 

O house of Aaron, bless the Lord; 
20 O house of the Levites, bless the Lord; 

You who revere the Lord, bless the Lord! 
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, 

Who dwells at Jerusalem! 

Hallelujah! 
[ 218 ] 


THE GRACE OF GOD _ 
136 
THE GRACE OF GOD 
IVE thanks to the Lord; for he is good; 


For his grace is everlasting. 
2 Give thanks to the God of gods; 
For his grace is everlasting. 
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
4 To him who did great wonders alone; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
5 To him who made the heavens with skill; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
6 To him who spread out the earth upon the waters; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
7 To him who made the great lights; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
8 The sun to rule by day; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
g The moon and the stars to rule by night; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
10 To him who smote the Egyptians in their first-born; 
For his grace 1s everlasting: 
11 And brought forth Israel from the midst of them; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
13 To him who divided the Sea of Sedge into two parts; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
14 And led Israel over through the midst of it; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
15 And shook Pharaoh and his army into the Sea of Sedge; 
For his grace is everlasting: 


[ 219 | 


TNeELMRETEESATONEVENDOEDELTEEEDENYORONTENEDTOHET SOREN TITIVE DET DEREFOENTOLUERNIOOT DE DEREREDUERERTRGNNPOOUS DI IOHODEOOERTETOSOTENRIOT ST 


THE PSALMS 
16 To him who led his people through the wilderness; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
17 Lo him who smote great kings; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
18 And slew mighty kings; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
19 Sihon, the king of the Amorites, 
For his grace is everlasting: 
20 And Og, the king of Bashan; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
21 And gave their land as a possession; 
For his grace 1s everlasting: 
22 A possession to Israel, his servant; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
23 Who remembered us in our abasement; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
24 And rescued us from our foes; 
For his grace is everlasting: 
25 Who gives food to all flesh; 
For his grace is everlasting. 
26 Give thanks to the God of the heavens; 
For his grace is everlasting. 


137 
REVENGE UPON ISRAEL’S FOES 


Y THE rivers of Babylon, 
There we sat down, and wept, indeed, 
When we remembered Zion. 
2 Upon the poplars, in the midst of her, 
We hung up our harps. 
3 For there our captors 
Demanded of us songs, 


[ 220 ] 


; THE HELP OF GOD 


And our tormentors, mirth: 
“Sing us some of the songs of Zion.” 


4 How could we sing the songs of the Lerd 
In a foreign land? 

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, 
May my right hand fail me! 

6 May my tongue cleave to my palate, 
If I do not remember thee; 
If I set not Jerusalem 
Above my highest joy! 


7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites, 
The day of Jerusalem! 
They who said, “Raze it, raze it, 
To its very foundations!” 


8 O daughter of Babylon, destructive one, 
Blessed be he who requites to you 
The treatment that you dealt out to us! 
9 Blessed be he who seizes your little ones, 
And dashes them to pieces upon a rock! 


138 
THE HELP OF GOD 
[OF DAVID] 


GIVE thee thanks with all my heart. 
In the presence of the gods, I sing praises to thee! 
2 I prostrate myself toward thy holy temple; 
And give thanks to thy name for thy grace and thy 
faithfulness. 
For thou hast magnified thy name over all. 


[ 221 | 


THE PSALMS 


GNSNANANAUADOSEOUAOAUTOASNELERERERESENOMEDOSUSUOOOODEOADEDLEALEOAAETAEAMAUOONATOAUANOOEEFORENOPANECESOTAOOEESEFERUDEREEDEDERDREEPAEHSESPAODOL ED ESEORENAVANENSIOAOAUDOLELEBEDERERBERHEODAUUOLOTEOERDAEEDSECUANUPOOSEUDUCRERESEDNSNAEODSTERORHR OLS SERSERSREAARAENEOHADEDLORSRAERANHAUBOGNIGONAUND 


3 In the day when I called thou didst answer me; 
Thou didst increase thy power in me. 


4 All the kings of the earth will give thanks to thee, O 
Lord, 
When they have heard the words of thy mouth. 
5 And they will sing of the ways of the Lord, 
That the glory of the Lord is great. 
6 The Lord looks upon the high and the low, 
But the haughty he knows from afar. 


7 Though I walk in the midst of hostility, thou dost 
preserve my life; 
Against the wrath of my foes, thou dost stretch forth 
thy hand, 
And thy right hand delivers me. 
8 The Lord rewards me. 
O Lord, thy grace is everlasting. 
Forsake not the work of thine own hands! 


+39 
THE OMNIPRESENT AND 
OMNISCIENT GOD 


[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


HOU hast searched me and known me, O Lord. 
2 Thou knowest when I sit down and when I 
stand up. 

Thou discernest my thought from afar. 
3 Thou dost measure out my course and my camp, 

And art intimately acquainted with all my ways. 
4 For there is not a word on my tongue, 

But, Lord, thou knowest it all. 


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16 


THE OMNIPRESENT AND OMNISCIENT GOD 


A AE NAAN N NAAN SESDDASDNNAADAADAONOODEEURLOOEEDLETEAULENTOOESEREREDAD IAD OODNOSDSESAESEAANAED SLEDS RE EEDNEREEA: eee 


Thou dost enfold me behind and before, 
And dost put thy hand upon me; 

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; 
It is too lofty—I am not equal to it. 


Whither shall I go from thy spirit? 

And whither shall I flee from thy presence? 
If I ascend to the heavens, thou art there! 
If I make Sheol my bed, thou art there also! 
If I take up the wings of the dawn, 

And dwell at the back of the sea, 

Even there thy hand will guide me, 

And thy right hand will hold me. 

If I say, “Darkness will surely cover me,” 
Then the night becomes light about me. 
Darkness makes it not too dark for thee; 
But the night is as bright as the day. 
Darkness and light are both alike to thee. 


For thou didst create my vitals, 

Thou didst fashion me in my mother’s womb. 

I praise thee because thou art fearfully wonderful; 

Wondrous are thy works, 

And I myself know it well. 

My bones were not hidden from thee, 

When I was made in secret, 

And molded in the lowest parts of the earth. 

Thine eyes saw the sum total of my days, 

And in thy book they were all written; 

They were formed, when there was not one among 
them. 


17 How precious are thy thoughts to me, O God! 


How great the sum of them! 


[ 223 ] 


THE PSALMS 
18 Were I to count them—they would outnumber the 
sands! 
Were I to come to the end of them, my life-span must 
be like thine! 


19 If thou wouldst but slay the wicked, O God, 
And the men of blood would depart from me, 

20 Who oppose thee in their thoughts. 
Who utter thy name to a lie! 

21 Do I not hate them that hate thee, O Lord? 
And do I not loathe them who oppose thee? 

22 With the deadliest hatred, I hate them; 
They are my own enemies. 

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; 
Try me, and know my thoughts; 

24 And see if there be any false way in me; 
And lead me in the ancient way. 


140 
A PRAYER FOR VINDICATION 
[FOR THE DIRECTOR: A PSALM OF DAVID] 


REE me, O Lord, from wicked men! 
Rescue me from violent men, 
2 Who plan evil things in their heart, 
Who constantly stir up wars! 
3 They have a sharp tongue like a serpent; 
The venom of adders is under their lips. 


4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked; 
Rescue me from violent men, 


Who plan to trip my steps. 
[ 224 ] 


4 PRAYER FOR PROTECTION 


SePneReeneennReTTerevnrnnenenee runnenennenerene rene ren nyrTTTeeeN Dene TERE SAE ON UNE TEEN T FERE MERE FONTAN 


5 The arrogant have laid a snare for me, and lines; 
They have spread a net for me by the wayside; 
They have set traps for me. Selah 


6 I say to the Lord, “Thou art my God; 
Listen, O God, to my supplicating cry. 
7 O God, the Lord, my strong deliverer, 
Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle. 
8 Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked; 
Let not his purpose succeed!” Selah 


g‘Let not those who encompass me raise their heads; 
May the mischief of their own lips cover them! 
10 May coals of fire fall down upon them! 
May they be cast into pits whence they cannot rise up 
again! 
11 May the slanderer have no standing in the land! 


May disaster pursue the violent man with blow upon 
blow!” 


12 I know that the Lord will maintain 
The cause of the wretched, the rights of the poor. 

13 Certainly, the righteous will give thanks to thy name; 
The upright will dwell in thy presence. 


14] 
A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


CALL upon thee, O Lord; make haste to me; 
Listen to my voice, when I call upon thee! 
2 Let my prayer rise like incense before thee, 
The lifting of my hands like the evening offering! 
3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; 
Keep watch at the door of my lips. 


L225 ] 


THE PSALMS 
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing. 
To participate in wicked deeds, 
With men who do wrong; 
And let me not eat of their dainties. 
5 If the righteous smite me—it is a favor, 
And if he rebuke me—it is the finest oil; 
Let not my head refuse it! 
Indeed, my prayer is ever for them in trouble. 
6 They will be hurled into the hands of their chieftains; 
And they will learn that the word of the Lord is true. 
7 Like a rock, split and crushed on the land, 
Their bones will lie scattered at the jaws of Sheol. 


8 But my eyes are toward thee, O Lord God; 
In thee I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 
9 Keep me from the hold of the snare which they nave 
set for me, 
And the traps of wrongdoers! 
10 May the wicked fall into their own pits, 
While I, indeed, pass by. 


142 
A PRAYER FOR SAFETY FROM FOES 


[A maskil OF DAVID WHEN HE WAS IN 
THE CAVE. A PRAYER] 


CRY aloud to the Lord; 
I make supplications aloud to the Lord! 
2 I pour out my complaint before him; 
I tell my trouble before him. 
3 When my spirit faints, 
Thou knowest my way. 


[ 226 ] 


4 PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE 
In the path where I must walk, 
They lay a snare for me. 
4 Look to the right, and see 
That I have no friend. 
Escape is cut off from me; 
Nobody cares for my life. 


5 I cry unto thee, O Lord; 
I say, ““Thou art my refuge, 
My portion in the land of the living. 
6 Give heed unto my cry; 
For I am brought very low. 
Rescue me from my pursuers; 
For they are too strong for me. 
7 Bring me forth from prison, 
That I may give thanks to thy name. 
The righteous will throng around me, 
When thou dealest well with me.” 


143 
A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE 


[A PSALM OF DAVID] 


EAR my prayer, O Lord; 
Listen to my supplications! 
In thy fidelity answer me, and in thy righteousness! 
2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant; 
For in thy sight can no man living be innocent. 


3 For the enemy has pursued me; 
He has crushed my life to the earth, 


[ 227 | 


THE PSALMS 
He has made me dwell in dark regions, like those long 
dead. | 
4 And my spirit faints within me; 
My heart within me is appalled. 


5 1 recall the days of old; 
I meditate upon all! thy deeds; 
I ponder the work of thy hands. 
6 I spread forth my hands to thee; 
I long for thee like a parched land. Selah 


7 Answer me quickly, O Lord; my spirit fails. 
Hide not thy face from me, 
Lest I become like those that have gone down to the 
pit. 
8 Let me hear thy grace speedily; 
For I have trusted in thee! 
Teach me the way that I should go, 
For unto thee I lift my desire. 


g Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord; 
I seek refuge in thee. 
to Teach me to do thy will, 
For thou art my God; 
Let thy good spirit guide me in a straight path. 


11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, save my life! 

In the vindication of thyself bring me out of trouble! 
12 In thy grace cut off my enemies, 

And destroy all my adversaries; 

For I am thy servant. 


[ 228 | 


4A PRAYER FOR DIVINE REINFORCEMENTS 


LLL A TELS TEETER AAAE SEMEL ASTD AEREU EES ESASONOUE ARSED EOUDBAORUADSOSUTEONSULOLOOOUENGAUOROEODIAUTEDOOUTHONEDESOTRONEOEED SaLEAEEOHEH ONDHENOAUORDABEOUDEPHRROEYOEL PaKNERNENEED: rer 


144 
a) A PRAYER FOR DIVINE 
REINFORCEMENTS 


[OF DAVID] 


LESSED be the Lord, my rock, 
Who trains my hands for war, 
My fingers for battle; 
2 My refuge, and my fortress, 
My precipice, and my deliverer, 
My shield, and him with whom I seek refuge; 
The one who subdues the peoples under him. 


3 O Lord, what is man that thou shouldst know him, 
The son of man that thou shouldst take thought of him? 
4 Man is like a breath, 
His days are like a passing shadow. 


5 O Lord, bow thy heavens and come down! 
Touch the mountains that they smoke! 

6 Hurl the lightning and scatter them; 
Send forth thy arrows and rout them. 


7 Send forth thy hand from on high! 
Deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters, 
From the hand of aliens, 

8 Whose mouths speak lies, 
And their right hand is one of falsehood! 


g O God, I will sing thee a new song; 
Upon a ten-stringed lute will I play to thee, 
1o Who makest kings victorious, 
Who delivered David, his servant, from the wicked 
sword. 


[ 229 | 


THE PSALMS 
11 Deliver me, and rescue me from the hand of aliens, 
Whose mouths speak lies, 
And their right hand is one of falsehood! 


6) A CONTENTED PEOPLE 


12 UR sons are like plants grown large in their youth; 
Our daughters are like cornices carved after the 
fashion of a palace. 
13 Our garners are filled to overflowing, garners of all 
sorts. 
Our flocks increase by thousands and tens of thou- 
sands in our fields. 
14 Our oxen are heavily laden. 
There is no riot and no alarm, 
And no outcry in our streets. 
15 How happy the people that are in such a state! 
How happy the people whose God is the Lord! 


145 
AN ALPHABETIC DOXOLOGY 


[A PRAYER OF DAVID] 


N 
WILL exalt thee, my God, O King; 
And bless thy name forever and ever. 
val 
2 All day long will I bless thee, 
And praise thy name forever and ever. 
a 
3 Great is the Lord; and highly to be praised, 
And his greatness is unlimited. 


[ 230 ] 


AN ALPHABETIC DOXOLOGY 


POARREREACRUNSA DED SRE Daneee AFANAH ARONA EE DO FERED NDANESE OOOH EN eee 000800 58s veceen: 
PWN NSADERArEROnAaENDEcnNanienener tee eeere 


ah 
4 One generation will praise thy works to another, 
And will declare thy mighty acts. 


rt 


5 They will speak of the splendor of thy glorious majesty; 
And I will tell of thy wonders. 


| 
6 They will talk of thy terrible might; 
And I will narrate thy greatness. 


7 
7 They will publish the memory of thy great goodness, 
And they will joyously proclaim thy righteousness. 


™ 
8 Gracious and merciful is the Lord, 
Slow to anger and great in grace. 
Q 
g The Lord is good to all, 


And his mercy 1s over all his works. 


10 All thy works give thanks to thee, O Lord; 
And thy saints bless thee. 


=, 
11 They declare the glory of thy kingdom, 
And tell of thy might; 


» 


12 To make known his mighty deeds to the sons of man, 
And the glorious splendor of his kingdom. 


[ 231 ] 


THE PSALMS 
ya 
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, 
And thy dominion is over all the generations. 


© 


14 The Lord supports all who fall, 
And raises up all who are bowed down. 


y 
15 The eyes of all wait upon thee, 
And thou givest them their food in due season. 


3 
16 Thou openest thy hand, 
And completely satisfiest every living thing. 
pd 
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, 
And gracious in all his works. 


18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, 
To all who call upon him sincerely. 


a 
19 He fulfils the desire of those who revere him; 
He hears their cries for help and delivers them. 


w 
20 The Lord preserves all those who love him; 
But all the wicked he destroys. 


ral 
21 May my mouth speak the praise of the Lord, 
And let all flesh bless his holy name, 
Forever and ever! 


[e321] 


THE PRAISEWORTHY GOD 


146 
THE PRAISEWORTHY GOD 


ALLELUJAH! 
Let my whole being praise the Lord! 
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live; 
I will sing praises to my God as long as [ exist. 
3 Put no trust in princes, 
In a mere man, in whom is no help. 
4 When his breath departs he returns to his earth; 
In that selfsame day his plans perish. 


5 How happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob! 
Whose hope is upon the Lord, his God, 
6 Who made the heavens and the earth, 
The sea and all that is therein; 
Who preserves fidelity forever; 
7 Who renders justice to the oppressed; 
Who gives bread to the hungry. 


The Lord looses the prisoners; 

8 The Lord opens the eyes of the blind; 
The Lord lifts up them that are bound down; 
The Lord loves the righteous; 

g The Lord watches over the strangers; 
The fatherless and the widow he supports; 
But the way of the wicked he thwarts. 


10 The Lord reigns forever, 
Thy God, O Zion, for all generations! 
Hallelujah! 


[ 233 | 


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THE PSALMS 


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147 
THE WORKS OF GOD ALMIGHTY 


ALLELUJAH! 

Praise the Lord, for he is good, 
For he is gracious; praise befits him. 
The Lord restores Jerusalem. 
He assembles the outcasts of Israel. 
He heals the broken-hearted, 
And binds up their wounds. 
He determines the number of the stars; 
He gives names to all of them. 
Great is our Lord, and abounding in strength; 
There is no limit to his undertanding. 
The Lord upholds the humble; 
But he casts the wicked down to the ground. 


Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; 

Sing praises to our God upon the lute! 

For he covers the heavens with clouds; 

He prepares rain for the earth; 

He makes grass spring forth upon the hills. 
He gives the cattle their food, 

And to the young rams when they cry. 

He has no pleasure in the strength of a horse; 
He has no delight in the legs of a man! 

The Lord is pleased with those who revere him; 
With those who wait for his grace. 


Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem! 

Praise thy God, O Zion! 

For he strengthens the bars of thy gates; 
He blesses thy children within thee. 


[ 234 ] 


Pe ea 


14 He makes thy boundary peace; 
He satisfies thee with the finest of the wheat. 
1s He sends forth his command to the earth; 
His word runs with utmost speed. 
16 He gives snow like wool, 
He scatters hoarfrost like ashes. 
17 He casts forth his ice like crumbs; 
Who can stand before his cold? 
18 He sends forth his word and melts them; 
He makes his wind blow; the water flows. 
19 He declares his word to Jacob, 
His statutes and judgments to Israel. 
20 He has not acted thus with any other nation; 


Nor do they know his judgments. 


Hallelujah! 
148 
A HALLELUJAH CHORUS 
ALLELUJAH! 


Praise the Lord from the heavens; 
Praise him in the heights! 
2 Praise him, all his angels; 
Praise him, all his host! 
3 Praise him, sun and moon; 
Praise him, all you stars of light! 
4 Praise him, highest heavens, 
And waters that are above the heavens! 
5 Let them praise the name of the Lord! 
For he commanded and they were created. 
6 And he fixed them fast forever and ever; 
He gave a statute that they should not transgress. 


[ 235 | 


A HALLELUFAH CHORUS 


THE PSALMS 
7 Praise the Lord from the earth; 
Sea-monsters and all deeps! 
8 Fire and hail, snow and fog, 
Stormy wind, fulfilling his word! 
g Mountains and all hills, 
Fruit-trees and all cedars! 
10 Wild beasts and all cattle, 
Creeping things and winged birds! 
11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, 
Princes and all rulers of the earth! 
12 Young men and maidens, too, 


Old men and boys! 


13 Let them praise the name of the Lord; 

For his name alone is exalted; 

His majesty is over the earth and the heavens. 
14 And he has raised up a horn for his people. 

The praise is he of all his saints, 

The sons of Israel, the people which is near him. 


Hallelujah! 
149 
PRAISE TO THE CONQUERING GOD 
ALLELUJAH! 


Sing to the Lord a new song, 
His praise in the assembly of the pious. 
2 Let Israel rejoice in his maker; 
Let the sons of Zion triumph in their king. 
3 Let them praise his name with dancing; 
Let them play to him on drum and lute. 
4 For the Lord is pleased with his people. 
He adorns the humble with victory. 


[ 236 ] 


THE CLOSING DOXOLOGY 


5 Let the pious exult in honor; 
Let them shout with joy upon their beds, 
6 With exaltations of God in their throats, 
And double-edged swords in their hands, 
7 To execute vengeance upon the nations, 
Punishment upon the peoples; 
8 To bind their kings with chains, 
And their nobles with fetters of iron; 
9 To execute upon them the verdict that is written: 
Such honor have all his saints. 


Hallelujah! 
150 
THE CLOSING DOXOLOGY 
ALLELUJAH! 


Praise God in his sanctuary! 

Praise him in his mighty firmament! 

2 Praise him for his mighty deeds! 
Praise him for his abundant greatness! 

3 Praise him with the blast of the horn! 
Praise him with lyre and lute! 

4 Praise him with drum and dance! 
Praise him with strings and pipe! 

5 Praise him with clanging cymbals! 
Praise him with crashing cymbals! 

6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! 

Hallelujah! 


[ 237 |] 




















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I. THE DATE OF THE PSALTER 


FE Maccabaean origin of certain psalms is quite generally 
conceded today. Pss. 44, 74,79, and 83 bear the most distinct 
stamp of their origin at this late date. It may be taken for granted 
that if the great experiences of that national crisis found expression 
in psalms, or religious poems, worthy of admission into the Psalter, 
the number was not limited to the four here mentioned. But even 
were these four all that were found worthy, the fact that they were 
added to the Psalter demonstrates that the Psalter itself was not 
completed until the Maccabaean period or after. 

The first beginnings of the Psalter are not easily discoverable. 
The superscriptions of the individual psalms purport to fix the 
dates of many of them. According to these headings, as usually 
interpreted, David produced seventy-three psalms; Solomon, one; 
Moses, one; Ethan the Ezrachite, one; and Heman the Ezrachite, 
one. But two considerations weigh against giving this information 
full credence. 

In the first place, the meaning of the superscriptions is by no 
means clear. The Hebrew preposition before “David,” “Moses,” 
etc., is commonly rendered “‘of,” and taken as indicating the au- 
thorship of David, Moses, etc. But the same preposition appears 
before another word in many of the superscriptions, which means 
“director” or “‘chorister.”’ Here it certainly does not denote au- 
thorship, but something else. This preposition appears, also, before 
“the sons of Korah,” and it can hardly be supposed that the author- 
ship of any psalms was accredited to the sons of Korah. Literary 
and poetical creations are not ordinarily the product of group 
activity. In Ps. 88, indeed, the preposition in question appears be- 
fore “the sons of Korah” and also before ““Heman the Ezrachite.” 
We have no clear objective guide as to the meaning of the preposi- 
tion in such contexts. To make it imply authorship in some cases 
but not in others is purely arbitrary. It may well be that the ex- 
pressions “‘of David,” “of the sons of Korah,” etc., merely mean 


[ 241 | 


THE PSALMS 


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that the psalm in question was taken from a collection carrying 
David’s name, or gathered under the auspices of the sons of Korah, 
etc. 

In the second place, if we could be sure as to what the super- 
scriptions meant, we could not be sure that the information they 
impart is correct. It is a commonplace of biblical scholarship today 
that the superscriptions of biblical books were of later origin than 
the books themselves, and that in many cases they are far wide 
of the truth. The Book of Isaiah, for example, contains sixty-six 
chapters, of which the last twenty-seven had no connection with 
Isaiah or his age. Yet as the book now stands, the whole is assigned 
to Isaiah. The Greek translation of the Old Testament, known as 
the Septuagint, has even more superscriptions in its text of the 
Psalter than the Hebrew has. Where did it find them? It assigns 
fifteen more psalms to David than the Hebrew allows him. Among 
these extra fifteen is included Ps. 137. Yet it is rather difficult to 
imagine David looking back upon the Babylonian Exile and expres- 
sing himself in the words of this psalm. But it is no more difficult 
than to imagine David believing himself to be away from the 
presence of the Lord when he stepped across the border into 
Philistia (I Sam. 26:19 f.), and yet expressing his whole-hearted 
conviction that escape from the presence of the Lord was wholly 
out of the question, no matter in which direction he might flee. 
Yet this is what Ps. 139 says, and it is assigned to David by its 
superscription. The assignment of the fifteen extra psalms to David 
by the Greek translators is a part of the same uncritical attitude 
of mind that assigned the Psalms of Solomon, the Odes of Solomon, 
and the Wisdom of Solomon to the great king, and gave recently 
written literature freely to Adam, Enoch, Noah, and the patriarchs. 
This same attitude of mind reaches back into the treatment of the 
canonical literature, where it has assigned the Song of Songs to 
King Solomon. There is no ground for supposition that this habit 
of assigning religious writings to great men of the past arose for the 
first time in the late post-Exile period. Indeed, there are clear 


[ 242 ] 


THE DATE OF THE PSALTER 


SUN ENELDOTHANETUTERONDENSSSUOAESUEDENESON ISS S POTTOETOPTTEDERETERURDSSTONTITEDESHESEDOGBESHSAITESUCLAITSSEOTUSERRIVESERITOOENOOT ONES DONISESON STORES ONEDIIUNDIDENENOUUENGEDEOENND SO OONIEONTSSQPEONEDEEDENSEORESSO NEVER FOE VEETEITERFEENSS HESEYSENORTSEEY OEY HRFNREO RN SHErTEFORETTTSORERYTEEFERE 


indications of the existence of the attitude at a considerably earlier 
age. 

The general conclusion as to the value of the superscriptions 
that is forced upon us by the foregoing facts is that the testimony 
of a superscription regarding the origin of a biblical book or a psalm 
may not be accepted as authoritative in and of itself. Only if the 
psalm or writing by its spirit and content supports the claim of the 
superscription may it be accepted as stating the actual fact. 

When the seventy-three psalms assigned to David are examined 
from the point of view of their fitness in the life and times of David, 
insuperable difficulties arise. These psalms are among the richest 
products of the Psalter. They represent the best that the Psalter 
has to offer us in the spheres of ethical aspiration and religious in- 
sight. If we must put these hymns back into the days of David, 
we shall be compelled to conclude that there was practically no 
religious progress in the life of the Hebrews; but that their religion 
was fully developed in all its essentials in the days of David, that is, 
in the tenth century B.c. This is contrary to all that we have 
learned thus far of the history of Hebrew life and thought. All lines 
of investigation so far followed converge toward the view that the 
Hebrews of the period to which David belonged were exceedingly 
primitive in their religious attitudes and opinions, and that from 
David’s time onward there was a steady growth upward, so that 
the point reached by the second or third century B.c. was leagues 
in advance of that attained in the tenth century B.c. All the work 
of the great prophets came after David’s time. Not only so, but 
the great historical experiences of Israel, which taught her so much 
of the meaning of life and compelled her to reinterpret her world 
ever anew, came for the most part after the days of David. To as- 
sign these seventy-three psalms, or any considerable portion of 
them, to David would be tantamount to saying that the Hebrew 
nation learned practically nothing during the last thousand years 
of its history. 

A still more specific and concrete difficulty confronts the claim 


[ 243 ] 


THE PSALMS 


PPT TTT iii 


of these superscriptions to credibility. The picture of David given 
to us by the seventy-three psalms bearing his name is at the farthest 
possible removal from identity with the picture given to us by the 
oldest sources in the books of Samuel and Kings. These sources 
bear an air of verisimilitude. The David they present to us is a 
man of his age; he belongs there as a matter of course; he speaks its 
dialect, he thinks its thoughts, he does its deeds. He and his age 
fit together like hand and glove. This historical David has a super- 
fluity of wives; but this did not keep him from stealing another 
man’s wife, and bringing about the death of the other man in order 
that he might take his place. The fact that he was a protegé of 
the king of Gath did not prevent him from attacking clans friendly 
to the Philistines and hostile to Judah, and reporting to Achish the 
king that he had made raids upon “the south of Judah and 
against the south of the Jerahmeclites, and against the south of the 
Kenites,” all of whom were friends and allies of Judah, and conse- 
quently enemies of the Philistines. His last will and testament, as 
recorded in I Kings, chapter 2, is in complete harmony with the 
tenor of his life. Here he charged his son and heir with a certain 
heritage of belated revenge that he himself had been too weak to 
put into effect. The fact that such deeds would create enmity 
toward Solomon on the part of powerful groups within the nation 
gave him no uneasiness. His deathbed was a logical climax to his 
life’s career.! The man presented to us in these earliest records as 
David certainly does not appear to have been possessed of and 
dominated by the moral ideals to which utterance is given in Ps. 15. 

The historical David was likewise far removed theologically 
from the thought of the David of the Psalter. The God of King 
David was but little better than David himself. His God could stir 
up David to number Israel and then punish David for taking the 
census by slaying seventy thousand of the people with a pestilence 

« This record in I Kings, chap. 2, is so bad that many scholars refuse to accept 
it as true. In that case it would be of later origin, and the farther we get away 
from David’s age, the greater is the tendency to magnify and idealize him! Such 


a picture as this from late times would be difficult to explain. See my Religion of 
the Psalms (1922), p. 47. 


[ 244 ] 


THE DATE OF THE PSALTER 


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(II Sam. 24:1 ff.). This was so shocking to the later Jewish con- 
science that the Chronicler revised the story and put the initial 
responsibility for the census upon Satan rather than upon Yahweh 
(I Chron. 21:1). In like manner, David could think of Yahweh as 
having stirred up Saul to persecute him; and he thought it only 
reasonable, if such were the case, that Yahweh should accept a 
sacrifice and consider the matter closed (I Sam. 26:19). David had 
no difficulty in thinking of Yahweh as vitally interested in the 
execution of blood revenge and as going to extreme measures to 
assure the achievement of the bloody end, even requiring the hang- 
ing of seven of Saul’s descendants in expiation of Saul’s sin in slay- 
ing the Gibeonites, to whom Israel had guaranteed protection (II 
Sam., chap. 21). When David, seeking to do all honor to Yahweh, 
brought the ark of Yahweh into Jerusalem after it had been re- 
stored by the Philistines and had remained in the house of Obed- 
edom the Gittite for three months, he indulged in a whirling dance 
before the ark as it was borne along. The fact that his clothing upon 
this sacred occasion was but a scanty loin-cloth facilitated his 
movements, but shocked his wife Michal’s sense of propriety. Yet 
David thought that he was verily doing God service (II Sam. 6: 12- 
23). Moreover, the power of David’s God was spatially limited; for 
when David was about to flee to Philistia from before the persecu- 
tions of Saul, he said, speaking of his foes, “They have driven me 
out today from all association with the possessions of Yahweh, say- 
ing, “Go, worship other gods!’ And now may my blood not fall to 
the ground away from the presence of Yahweh!” For David, Yah- 
weh was, like the other gods of his age, a national deity, equal to 
all the demands that his own people might make upon him in their 
own land, but not to be thought of as following him into other parts 
of the world. Yet this is precisely what the author of Ps. 139 denies; 
there is no escape from the presence and power of his God; he is 
omniscient and omnipresent. No man who thought of God as 
David did could ever have written about him in such lofty terms 
as those employed in most of the so-called “Davidic psalms.” 


[245 ] 


THE PSALMS 


SNAMNUEALERASSONAERESNDEAUSUDEREEOGEAAOGHLLLADEDEOERENELAUCOSOAAANLOUEDOUDACEEEAEATANEORGEOALALS OLGA CU FERDEANELEBLLEAGARUSSSASEAET CSABODAELEEEAAEREARACVEAEOOAIOOVADERESEREMEABSONVDTUSEESSEESESDOREEESDAD OS UAL OOREESONSAEAESSASAGGUSLCGNLEDERNERESANANUEAEOECHOOSOLERDESEROEDEUAES EOCREROERSERE 


Are we forced to conclude, then, that the tradition of the 
Davidic authorship of psalms is without foundation? By no means. 
The evidence furnished by these very documents that reveal David 
as sO primitive and naive a spirit shows that David was early 
credited with poetic ability. The dirge over Abner, and especially 
the one over Saul and Jonathan, are unshakable evidences of the 
poetic character of David’s mind. The tradition referred to in Amos 
6:5 adds to the evidence for David’s poetic skill. The story of his 
musical skill being called into play for the alleviation of Saul’s 
melancholy points in the samedirection. But if David was a poet, 
he must have composed religious songs. For though David’s reli- 
gion was very elementary and primitive, he gave it a large place 
in his life, and was constantly conscious of his relations with Yah- 
weh. A man as deeply religious as David could hardly have written 
poetry in that age of the world’s history that was not religious 
poetry. We have good reason, therefore, to suppose that David 
actually did write some psalms. But any psalms that he may have 
written must have reflected similar ethical and theological stand- 
ards to those embodied in the earliest records of his life. Such ideas 
and sentiments in course of time would be felt to be out of place in 
the community’s worship, and so the psalms in question would be 
discontinued or revised. After two or three treatments of this sort, 
such psalms as survived would have become unrecognizable as 
Davidic psalms. A similar experience would befall all early psalms, 
with the result that they would all either disappear or be largely 
re-written so as to conform to the point of view prevailing in 
ethics and theology in later times. Such names as David, Moses, 
and Solomon, therefore, contribute practically nothing to our 
knowledge of the background and origin of the Psalter as it lies 
before us at the present day. Whatever stamp of their personalities 
may have been impressed upon it originally, that had long faded 
out before the Psalter assumed the form in which we have it. 


[ 246 ] 


Il. THE HYMNBOOK OF THE SECOND TEMPLE 


HE most profitable point of view for us from which to consider 
© ee Psalter is that which regards it as the hymn book of the 
second temple. Solomon’s temple was destroyed in §86 B.c., and 
the new temple did not arise until 516 B.c. It is altogether probable 
that when the first temple was destroyed, practically all the treas- 
ures it contained were either carried off by the conquerors or de- 
stroyed. Destruction would overtake not only the building but also 
the sacred writings stored within it. The new temple would have to 
_ undertake the task of gathering a new sacred literature, ritual, and 
hymnology. Private collections and oral tradition would be called 
upon for all that they were able to produce; but, for the most part, 
a new literature would have to be written. It was in the midst of 
such a situation as that that the hymnbook of the second temple 
had its beginning. 

The fact of the use of psalms in the temple worship is proved by 
several lines of evidence. We know that psalms were regularly sung 
in connection with the presentation of the daily burnt-offering (cf. 
Dan. 8:11 f.). The books of Chronicles give the “‘singers” a promi- 
nent share in the ritual of the temple (I Chron. 9:2-34; 15:16-24). 
In I Chron. 16: 4-36 we read of the regulations regarding the music 
of the temple services, and Ps. 96 is cited in full as one of the hymns 
used; Ps. 105 and 106 are associated with it. The musical annota- 
tions appearing in the superscriptions of so many psalms are most 
easily understood as instructions for the guidance of the leaders of 
the temple choir and orchestra. One psalm superscription describes 
its psalm (92: 1—3) as “‘a song for the Sabbath.”’ Other psalms refer 
to music and song in the temple, e.g., 68:24 ff.; 9221-3; 95:2; 
Obra ONC, 712 2ifet pos i—9, 

Some of the work that went into the making of the Psalter 
may still be discerned. One of the last stages in its development 
was its organization into five books, after the precedent of the Law. 
These books are made up as follows: Book I, Pss. 1-41; Book II, 


[ 247 ] 


THE PSALMS 


ANOONCUANAEUNAAOLUSOAANTENELENEATOOUADONAOHAAUEOCOOERORREOSOHANSUNAEAOUODEOOUOAEAENERDRENESEENARSUCUGUUUSECUELERCHEAUAECUENSUOTOLEDEEEFUECERUCEECETCAUTOTCUEDELPCRTREECHENERES ESHAEAUODELOTIADEORSHONRERENNOGNAUTOERECEEREERACOTRESEANAOSOSTAUNDEROERENSINDS OUTER OUT URETINSFTSEFESURETOAERECEN 


Pss. 42~72; Book III, Pss. 73-89; Book IV, Pss. go-106: Book V, 
Pss. 107~-$0. Each of these books is closed by a doxology; see Pss. 
423133 72:18-20; 89:52, 106:48; and Ps. 150, which is. itself a 
doxology closing the entire Psalter. Within this group of five books, 
however, there are evidences of the former existence of other col- 
lections. Survivals of such earlier collections are recognizable in the 
present text. At the end of Ps. 72 we read, ““The prayers of David, 
the son of Jesse, are ended.” As a matter of fact, there are eighteen 
more Davidic psalms farther on in the Psalter, e.g., Pss. 86, 101, 
103. The most natural inferénce is that at an earlier stage in the 
growth of the Psalter, Ps. 72 concluded a collection of Davidic 
psalms which was in circulation on its own account. Other groups 
of psalms which probably once existed separately are the psalms 
of the sons of Korah (Pss. 42, 44-49, 84, 85, 87, and 88), the twelve 
Asaph psalms (Pss. 50, 73-83), and the fifteen pilgrim psalms, or 
“songs of ascents” (Pss. 120-34). Further evidence of the existence 
of earlier collections is to be found in the fact that there are several 
duplicates in the Psalter (Ps. 14=Ps. §3; Ps. 31:1-3=Ps. 71: 1-33 
Ps. 40:13-17=Ps. 70; Pss. §7:7:11 and 60:$-12=Ps. 108; Ps. 
1:$:4-64a+8-11 = Ps. 135:15:20. The existence of these duplicates 
is accountable easily upon the supposition that there were various 
collections of psalms in circulation which were incorporated bodily 
in the Psalter, no effort being made toward the elimination of 
duplicates. Still further evidence of the editorial work which 
brought about the existing Psalter is seen in the use of the divine 
names in the Psalter. In Pss. 42:83, the name God appears two 
hundred times. In Pss. 1-41, however, God appears only fifteen 
times, while Yahweh occurs two hundred and seventy-two times. 
This prevalence of one name over the other in certain parts of the 
Psalter is not due merely to the preferences of the authors of the 
Psalms. It is rather a matter of editorial revision, as appears from 
the fact that Ps. 14 uses Yahweh while its duplicate, Ps. 53, uses 
God, and the one copy occurs in a group of Yahweh-psalms while 
the other is found in a group of God-psalms. The same difference of 


[ 248 ] 


THE HYMNBOOK OF THE SECOND TEMPLE 


evvawennnesneeey 
ennne ree Nene rseneernenar aay SNASUREADOOERESAESUENCREESDADUDEONAETERDCNRDESSODEREENORES ENED EAE) guoeaemevestuetnneseetenens 


usage is seen in Ps. 40:13-17, on the one hand, and in Ps. 70, its 
duplicate, on the other. Such things as these make it clear that the 
Psalter went through many hands in the course of its development. 

In this respect the Psalter shared the experience of hymnbooks 
in general. New editions are called forever and anon. Old hymns 
which have fallen too far behind the growing mind of the commu- 
nity are omitted; new hymns expressive of more modern views and 
attitudes are taken on. Frequently the treatment of the old hymn 
is not so drastic; it is enough to change a phrase, to drop a stanza, 
or to add one, and the hymn continues to serve.t Through all the 
long process of changing form which we have sketched above, 
editorial changes of this sort were being made in the Psalter. For 
the mind of Judaism did not stand still. The times were stirring, 
and the Jewish mind observed and reacted vigorously to all that 
was going on. Their only choice was between progress and stagna- 
tion, and stagnation would have meant death to their religion. 

A hymnbook has to pay the price of its popularity. It must per- 
force stay within reach of its public. This holds true in all ages. 
Not only so, but the hymnal must aim at reaching the average 
level of its community’s intelligence. This means that it will not 
be representative of the best thought and the highest idealism of 
its age, but rather of the ideas and ideals of the man on the street. 
This limitation applied to the Psalter quite as much as to any 
modern hymnal. The best thought and the highest ideals of Ju- 
daism did not find expression in the Psalter, but rather in such 
writings as Isaiah, chapters 40-55; the Book of Jonah; and the 
Book of Job. The Psalter, therefore, must be judged upon its merits 
as a hymnbook, and should not be asked to meet standards which 
it never set up for itself. In its own class as a hymnal, it easily takes 
rank above all the hymnals of the ancient world, and commands the 
respect and admiration of the modern world as a noble survival 
from a splendid past 


t For illustrations of this sort of thing in modern hymnals, see my Religion of 
the Psalms, pp. 2-4. 


[ 249 ] 


III. THE POETRY OF THE PSALTER 


HE forms of Hebrew poetry were not run in the same molds 

as the poetry of the West. Rhyme is practically ignored. In- 
deed, in Hebrew, skill is called for in order to escape rhyme rather 
than to produce it. There are so many similar word-endings in He- 
brew that rhyme would have been so simple and easy a matter as to 
have become burdensome rather than pleasing. At least, the pro- 
duction of rhymes would have had no merit. 

The outstanding formal characteristic of Hebrew poetry was a 
balancing of lines, to which we give the name “parallelism.” The 
simplest form of this is known as “‘synonymous parallelism.” Here 
two successive lines say essentially the same thing, but in somewhat 
different terms; as, for example, Ps. 21:8, 


Your hand will find all your foes; 
Your right hand will find those that hate you. 


Another type is known as “antithetic parallelism,” since the 
thought of the second line is in contrast with that of the first line. 
So, for example, in Ps. 31:6, 


I hate them that pay regard to false vanities, 
But I myself have trusted in the Lord. 


Still another kind of parallelism has been styled “‘synthetic.” In 
this type the second line supplements and completes the thought of 
the first line. For example, in Ps. 3:2, 


Many are saying concerning me, 


“There is no help for him in God.” 


This type is very common in the Psalter. It might well be said of 
such lines that the principle of parallelism here disappears. In so 
far as a repetition of the thought of the first line is concerned, such 
a statement is correct; but there is parallelism in form, neverthe- 
less, in that the one line balances the other. One particular type 
of line is of especial interest. It is sometimes known as the Qinah 


[ 250 ] 


THE POETRY OF THE PSALTER 


PARENT EEN ETE EEOTD FEED T ONES PENH OREN ERE ERE: onenvenarenanencre ese: NNN UEERHOEEEDUSETEDEDEOTEAE OES PHP DENNY 


or elegiac measure. It was used frequently in poems of dirgelike 
character, but was not confined to such poetry. Its peculiar char- 
acteristic is that the line is broken by a caesura at a point about 
three-fifths of the way through it. This produces a halting or limp- 
ing effect. Such lines in this translation are printed in this way, 


The Lord is my light and my salvation; 
whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the refuge of my life; 
of whom shall I be afraid?? 


In many cases, clearly marked groups of lines recur with such 
regularity as to make the presence of strophes practically indis- 
putable. There is no fixed standard length for such strophes; 
they may consist of two, four, six, eight, or more lines, as the taste 
of the poet and the structure of his thought may dictate. This strp- 
phic structure is clearly marked in some psalms by the recurrence 
of refrains at certain intervals; so, e.g., in Pss. 42, 43, 46, 56, 80, 
99, 107, 114, 136, and 14§. In other psalms the clear demarcation 
of thought plainly indicates strophic divisions; while in still others 
the existence of strophic structure is open to some question, since 
clear formal indication and distinct thought-groups are both alike 
lacking. 

On the formal side of poetic structure, there is one especial type 
of poetry of which much use is made in the Psalter; that is the 
acrostic. The following psalms incorporate this principle: 9, I0, 
26, 34) 37, III, 112, 119, and 145. In some cases the lines of the 
psalm begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet 
taken in order; so, e.g., in Pss. 111 and 112. In other cases the 
alphabetic letters appear at the beginning of the first line and of 
every alternate line; so, e.g., in Pss. 25, 34, and 147. In still others 
they appear at the beginning of successive four-line strophes; so, 
e.g., in Pss. 9, 10, and 373; and Ps. 119 is organized into twenty-two 
strophes of eight lines each. To each strophe of this Psalm is as- 
signed in proper order one letter of the alphabet, and this letter 


Og ey EE 
[ 251 ] 


THE PSALMS 


appears at the beginning of the first line and of every alternate line 
of itsstrophe. In this translation acrostic psalms may be recognized 
by the fact that the Hebrew letters are printed in them before the 
strophes to which they belong. This acrostic structure, of course, 
not only puts saddle and bridle upon Pegasus, but also hobbles him. 
There can be no free movement of thought and imagination under 
such close restrictions. As a matter of fact, the acrostic psalms are, 
poetically speaking, among the poorest in the Psalter. 

Turning to the quality of the poetry of the Psalter, as distin- 
guished from its form, it may be classified for the most part as a 
product of the lyric poets. There are some psalms that are prima- 
rily didactic in their spirit and viewpoint, as is the case with Ps. 
119, for example. Lyric poetry never rises to the greatest heights 
of poetic achievement. The brevity of the psalms, in particular, 
forbids any extended and complete treatment of a given theme. 
They can but originate an emotion or a thought, and die in giving 
it birth. The reputation of Shakespeare rests not upon his sonnets; 
and the greatness of Milton does not come to full fruition in his 
L Allegro or I1 Penseroso, but in Paradise Lost. Lyrical poetry is but 
the expression of a fleeting sensation or a passing emotion. But in 
its own class as lyric poetry, the Psalter takes high rank. The es- 
sence of poetry is beauty—beauty of structure, beauty of sound, 
and beauty of thought and feeling. On the formal side and in the 
sphere of sound, much of the beauty of the original poetry is nec- 
essarily lost in a translation. The thought and feeling, on the other 
hand, may be carried over into another language, not without con- 
siderable loss, it is true, but yet with sufficient fulness to give a 
good impression of the quality of the original poem. 

The psalms abound in the language of simile with all its power 
of suggestion. The wicked are like the chaff driven by the wind; 
the righteous are like a fruitful tree. The sun comes forth like a 
bridegroom from his bridal chamber. God is besought to guard the 
pious like the pupil of his eye. The psalmists exhaust their vocabu- 
lary of simile in their representations of God. He is presented as 


[ 252 ] 


_THE POETRY OF THE PSALTER- 


eeanenneneaneree: 
staernenenevennnanenseer: anaes AEADABAEOUGUANANLULLEDAAEUARAGAAN DL OLS TODOLESEDENSURESEOAASOSOOUNSDEEDESGEAEGNODAUNUDEDOOLEESONAONDAADGUSUGADESSELERSCRSODENI LG LEDDADEDEESS neneWERCANAESenneNeNEBOESoanNONDESeHooereeeNy, 


endowed with all the powers, qualities, and characteristics of men. 
He is variously symbolized as a rock, a shield, a fortress, a tower, a 
warrior, a shepherd, a great bird, a fountain of light, and as the sun. 
The tongue of the wicked is a sharp sword. The pious long for God 
as the “deer longs for the water-courses.” The “wrath of man’’ is 
personified and made to praise God. The penitent are adjured to 
“flee as a bird”’ to its mountain. Hyperbole appears at its best in 


Every night I flood my bed with tears, 
With my weeping I drench my couch [6:6]; 


And 


Deep calls to deep to the sound of thy waterfalls, 
All thy waves and thy billows pass over me [42:7]; 


And in 
For he will give his angels charge over you, 
To guard you in all your ways. 
They shall bear you up upon their hands, 
Lest you strike your foot upon a stone. 
Upon the lion and the adder you shall tread; 
Upon the young lion and the dragon you shall trample [g1: 11-13]. 


Such expressions as “the dew of thy youth” and “the womb of the 
morning,’ “‘sow in tears” and “reap in joy,” reveal creative poetic 
power. The wrath of the psalmists is no puny, puerile thing; as it 
pours itself out in the imprecatory psalm it is magnificently terrible. 
The revelation of God in nature is nowhere more effectively and 
beautifully suggested than in Ps. 19:1-6. The transitory nature of 
our frail existence is vividly brought before us in Ps. 103:14-16. 
The harmony of the moral order of the universe is charmingly sug- 
gested in 

Grace and fidelity are met together, 

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. 


Fidelity springs up from the earth, 
And righteousness looks forth from the heavens [85:10 f.]. 


[ 253 | 


THE PSALMS 


HEDNEAUNUAL CU UUUUTAUNATAUANTEUNANAESAANANTRIL ON TEEVERADDSEEDEDIDEDEGNAER EUG DOLORDEDAENEANGUAUANAHOU SOU SORLDSEREDOLEADAEDANEENAURANNOAOOUUOUODEGCLSPORSECEREENELIEELINDAFSELUGREOEREDERESREGEAOUNOGAUO BEN DERPRESEREANUNTAOUE LOAD FRE EDNAEENFADAUABIOOOROREASREAESUAETDOENSSOSOEURCFEESERAOHERG 


Pathos pours itself out in figurative terms in such prayers as Pss. 
JO2:I-11 and 13:3, 4; and in both cases it does not abide, but 
passes over into triumphant assurance. Similarly, the insignificance 
of man in the great universe is suggested in Ps. 8, only to be at once 
made to yield to the thought of man’s essential nobility as the gift 
of God. In such ways as these, and many others which may not be 
listed here for lack of space, the psalmists achieved a high degree 
of success in “translating spiritual experience into poetry.” 


[ 254 | 


IV. THE RELIGION OF THE PSALTER 
| Raa is a broader term than theology; it includes and 


transcends theology, which represents only the intellectual 
aspects of religion. Religion deals not only with strictly mental 
concepts, but also with such attitudes and emotions as are repre- 
sented by the terms faith, communion, prayer, repentance, sorrow, 
and joy. The Psalter is the best embodiment of the religious spirit 
of ancient Judaism that has survived. The stark simplicity and 
candor, the utter honesty and unsullied sincerity of the psalmists, 
can hardly be too strongly emphasized or too highly evaluated. 
Abbé Fénelon’s counsel was, “If God tires you, tell him so.”’ This 
is the attitude of the psalmists. This kind of thing they are con- 
stantly doing. They make no attempt to conceal anything from 
God. They take him wholly into their confidence. They pour out 
their hearts before him. Their sins, their anger, their hopes, and 
their fears are all laid at his feet. Their attitude toward God recalls 
that of the much-tried Job, who rebuked his friends for not telling 
God the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; and assured them 
that God would see through their flattery and deception, and bring 
their double-dealing to light speedily. The psalmists stand before 
God, fully conscious of the fact that he can read their inmost 
thoughts, and yet unafraid. God is not for them a menacing specter 
of horror, but a congenial spirit, one with them in their ruling de- 
sires and open-minded to all their suggestions. 

The Psalter, as the hymnbook of the second temple, had to 
give expression to the prevailing sentiments of the post-Exilic com- 
munity. That was a stricken community. The captivity and Exile 
set their mark upon it at the beginning, and the persecutions of 
Antiochus marked its close. Through all that long stretch the Jews 
were a subject people. For a nation that regarded itself as the 
chosen people, this was a trial hard to bear. It constituted a per- 
petual problem. More than half of the psalms concern themselves 


[ 255 | 


THE PSALMS 


C10 ENDRPUNEEUEUDAGEUD TAN ERDEREEESEED FANHAEOEIUSETEADEDCAEEOSEHRRAAOWEDSAURUEEORUEAEAAERATOASGHLOREEREUNEONGECAULIECUERAGA OU CRAP EREECPAEEEAPOUIEAN UROL OCTLE CLL LEETRERAETEUEUEHANTAUES ONAL ADOROEEEORIERNAUEAEUUTAUOUA DIET EOREREREEESFEESEOESRENENENWOES EETEOSSEEESERENETENEYSOHONNHNWONENIONS 


with it in some form or other. It appears most pathetically in Ps. 
22, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” 

In the imprecatory psalms the problem appears at its worst. 
Here the disappointment and grief of Israel vent themselves in 
curses upon the head of the foe. Typical psalms of this kind are §5, 
69, 83, 109, and 137. In extenuation of such fierce wrath we must 
not fail to remember that it was well deserved. The treatment of 
the Jews by their conquerors was not of such a sort as to inspire 
feelings of gratitude in their hearts. The constant collection of 
heavy tribute and taxation has never been borne with equanimity. 
Even the Christian attitude toward the foe, as manifested on both 
sides during the world-war, did not differ essentially from that of 
the imprecatory psalms. In that age the /ex ¢alionis was in full force 
and unchallenged. Not only so, but the moral order of the universe 
seemed to be imperiled. How could a just God permit wicked na- 
tions to triumph, and the pious Jews to be trampled under foot by 
them perpetually? A just God was expected to reward his people 
for their piety; and the reward was looked for in terms of material 
welfare. It would have been unnatural and irreligious for the Jews 
of the post-Exilic age to have accepted their lot without question, 
and borne their sufferings without complaint. The intensity of their 
wrath against their enemies was in a very real sense the measure of 
their passion for righteousness and justice. At that stage of the 
world’s history, no other attitude of mind and heart would have 
been intelligible on the part of the Jews under such circumstances. 
For the world today, such psalms, coming from the distant past, 
may serve as an index of progress; sentiments of that sort would 
scarcely be tolerated in a modern hymnal. They serve, also, as an 
evidence of the seriousness with which the Jewish people took the 
world, and as a rebuke to those of us who are too light-minded to be 
aroused to passion by any wrong, at least so long as it is not inflicted 
upon us ourselves. 

To appreciate the psalms correctly, we must keep in mind that 
they were the product of a legalistic and ritualistic period. They 


[ 256 ] 


THE RELIGION OF THE PSALTER 


Snrerencevenernervareneresnnener snare nt: ASUAENEONED AOU ROREFENOTENNN®: 


were themselves, in part at least, written for the liturgy of the 
Temple, and used in that ritual. The psalms, here and there, con- 
_ tain allusions to the cultus of the Temple which show approval of it. 
Sacrifice, for example, is heartily approved of in Pss. 27:6; 50:5; 
51:19; and in Ps. 66:13-15. To be sure, there are occasional refer- 
ences of an apparently contrary character, passages in which ritual 
and sacrifice are discounted and contrasted unfavorably with 
ethical conduct and truly spiritual worship. But here, as in the 
case of the prophets, it would be a mistake to conclude that the 
psalmists objected to sacrifice per se. The true evaluation of their 
remarks when taken all together is to the effect that they valued 
ritual in general and sacrifice in particular in their right place. They 
would never have dreamed of dispensing utterly with such religious 
forms, but they would have had the people realize that these ex- 
ternal things were of no value apart from the possession on the part 
of the worshipers of the true spirit of worship, and the consuming 
desire to do the will of God in the affairs of the common daily life. 
The many allusions to the Temple in the Psalter and the deep love 
for it that these reveal show that the psalmists did not despise 
ritualistic religion or undervalue it in any degree. See, for example, 
Pean20..0;.95 2724; 20:2> 493454323, 4: 49793 OS :145 65:45 68: 24— 
26; 73:17; 78:68 f.; 92:12 f.; 118:27; and especially Pss. 84, 122, 
and 134. A beautiful ritual, rightly used and properly understood, 
far from being an obstacle in the way of genuine spiritual worship 
is, on the contrary, a stimulus and a potent help for many people; 
and ritualistic types of religion have nothing to fear when judged 
by their fruits, as seen in their best products. On the other hand, 
the legalistic background of the Psalter makes it difficult for us to 
understand the spontaneity and enthusiasm of the psalms. They 
were sung in connection with a legal system that placed upon the 
necks of its adherents as heavy a yoke as was ever worn by men in 
the name of religion. Yet out of the midst of that bondage of the 
spirit they sing the praises of God with unquenchable joy. That 
legal system was devised and put into operation for the purpose of 


[257 | 


THE PSALMS 


site ontenernenenennenenreseentennnene erenreenerennenerernerererenerseernrnnanernennnrnreenennenenenen DODD AD EETEETPLEFEDETEREDED EY EDEPOOEEVEDEDEERELENVEDUDEDETANTAPAIVEDEDEVINEDENEETIOG DESO YEN EFERTOEOEROTD ODS ODE EOFEFEREDNEE OS NENOVONINTOHEVEOENENEREPENENANEHIEIERE RT NENT EREREERTE Ss 


winning the favor of God and placating his wrath. If the psalmists 
may be taken at their word, they found in it a deep satisfaction 
and a holy delight. The longest psalm in the collection is in praise 
of the law (Ps. 119). Here we read, 


O how I love thy law! 
It is my meditation all day long. 


Unveil my eyes, that I may behold 
Wonderful things out of thy law [vs. 18]. 


Let me walk in the path of thy commandments; 
For therein do I delight [vs. 35]. 


A similar estimate of the law appears elsewhere, e.g., Pss. 19:7-14 
and 78. The spirit that can exult in hardships and dance beneath 
burdens is characteristic of the saints and martyrs. It is enough to 
know that the thing required is in accord with the will of God; then 
the doing of it becomes the highest privilege and the deepest joy. 

Though the immediate background of the psalmists was 
shrouded in gloom, the future held nothing in store for them but 
hope. It is an interesting fact that, just as “sweetest songs tell of 
saddest thought,” so the darkest hours in Hebrew history yielded 
its brightest pictures. Finding little or nothing in the real present 
to furnish comfort and stay, the poets and dreamers of Judaism 
drew largely upon the future. Here the play of their imagination 
was never interrupted by the interposition of disagreeable facts. 
In the Psalter the hopes of the psalmists center almost wholly in 
the national future. They have but little to say of the future of the 
individual. The thought of a life after death that was worth while 
was hard for the Jews to attain. There is very little expression of 
it in the Old Testament as a whole, and in the Psalter itself it is 
almost entirely lacking, the only clear possibility of its appearance 
being in Ps. 73:22-26. The thought and energy that other people 
expended in working out an elaborate eschatology for the individual 
the Jews turned almost wholly upon the future of the nation. 
Hence they produced those splendid pictures of the messianic King- 


[ 258 ] 


THE RELIGION OF THE PSALTER 


SN ATETEUEUEUSCOUUNFRCAPINAUTURTURUTEESOPETENEODOTERAROEDERDTLSEDEATONOTOEODANENUAEDELE PRELFROUEEOESUTORORSNRSERESUMON OU OCOROOEEDEADEDAGE DOT ONLER DES ERES HSER OSL ES Er HH: ae 


dom that have since won the admiration of mankind. That mes- 
sianic hope lies behind many of the psalms and comes to clear utter- 
ance in Ps. 2. That messianism does not express itself more fre- 
quently and plainly in the Psalter is, of course, due in part at least 
to the fact that the Psalter was the hymnbook of a subject people. 
If messianic ideals had been too vigorously expressed, the agents 
of the conqueror would have lost no time in suppressing the hymn- 
book as containing literature designed to foment revolt. Hence 
great caution was necessary in order that no offense be given. In 
this connection, attention may be called to the fact that many of 
the psalms are expressions of the hopes and fears of the Jewish com- 
munity as a whole. They are written in personal terms, to be sure, 
but in many instances the nature of the thought makes it indis- 
putably clear that the speaker in the psalm is the community itself. 
Typical cases of psalms of this kind are Ps. 102, in which verses 
12 ff. indicate the point of view of the writer; and Ps. 118, where 
verses 2 ff. name Israel as the speaker and where verses 10 ff. de- 
scribe a national and not a personal experience. See also Pss. 3, 
13, 14, 18, 124, and 130. The Psalter was one of the most effective 
agencies in keeping alive and vigorous the national hopes of 
Judaism. 

No consideration of the religion of the Psalter could fail to take 
account of the virile faith to which it gives utterance. The circum- 
stances of Jewish life in the Exilic and post-Exilic periods were such 
as to discourage and overwhelm an ordinary people. When the 
northern tribes of Israel were carried into captivity in 721 B.c., 
they were merged into the surrounding population and civilization, 
and lost not only their religion but their identity. The Jews in and 
after 536 B.c. came back from their exile purified in their religion 
and strengthened in their faith. From that day on to the end of the 
national history they kept to the faith of their fathers, in spite of all 
manner of temptation to forsake it, and in defiance of oppression 
and persecution even to the death. In the Psalter, that faith is 
vibrantly triumphant. It is able to penetrate the gloom of the pres- 


[ 259 | 


THE PSALMS 


SUUDONERLUTEDEDEYOEYOUVEOEDEOOTOTOCUEREERUEERDTN COTE DEDUGEEDECRESFNNUSONTNGEOEVDOVENETOREVONUNOL TST CEFEDPENDEENOSEAUOESEOEOOUUGRREREORG LOSES DUSLETE DD DOLIGONNENEDIANEDOGUGUELERURERSAEEEODOALOOONESTREDENDURANODODOFO TD EREDEDEDEEDEDENADEC INS LDEOFEREERD FT EFEIORDE ODER DERE FH PTECPTDNNON, a 


ent and discern the radiance of the approaching dawn. Even those 
psalms that give free expression to the doubts and fears of the com- 
munity rarely fail to close upon a note of assurance and praise. The 
Psalmist who sings “‘out of the depths”’ is not content to stay there, 
but rises up upon wings of hope and faith (Ps. 130). Similar transi- 
tions are seen in Pss. $6, 64, 69, 73, 77, 79, 86, and 102. Psalms like 
74 and 88, in which the gloom is unrelieved, are quite the exception. 
The ground of the Psalmist’s faith was found in God himself, 

Cast your burden upon the Lord 

And he will sustain you. 

He will never let the righteous totter [55:22]. 


The Psalter is essentially a record of communion with God. The 
makers of the psalms, as they recoiled from the shock of contact 
with the hard, unyielding facts of the life around them, sought 
refuge in the bosom of God. In no literature is the sense of fellow- 
ship with the divine more constantly present or more keenly felt. 
This communion with deity was the psalmists’ crying need. It 
comes to expression again and again. 

As a deer longs for the water-courses, 

So my whole being longs for thee, O God. 

My whole being thirsts for God, for the living God: 
How long till I come to see the face of God [42:1, 2]? 


O God, thou art my God; I seek for thee; 

My spirit yearns for thee; my flesh yearns for thee, 
As in a dry and parched land where no water is; 

So have I beheld thee in the sanctuary, 

While seeing thy power and thy glory [63:1, 2]. 


But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; 
I put my reliance on the Lord God; 

That I may recount all thy wonders [73:28]. 

I have no good beyond thee [16:2]. 


This same sense of God’s presence and power in the history of 
the race inspired Ps. go, that pearl among the treasures of the 


Psalter: 
[ 260 | 


THE RELIGION OF THE PSALTER 


Lord thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations, 
Before the mountains were born, 

Or ere thou hadst brought forth the earth and the world, 
Even from everlasting to everlasting thou art, O God. 


And it is the cause of the faith of the Psalmist who speaks in Ps. gt: 


He who dwells under the shelter of the Most High, 
Who abides under the shadow of the Almighty, 
Says of the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, 

My God, in whom I trust!” 


A similar elevation of thought comes to expression in Ps. 19, which 
says in effective poetical language what Kant the philosopher cen- 
turies later meant when he said, “The starry sky above me and the 
moral law within me—these are two things which fill the soul with 
ever increasing admiration and reverence.” 

The psalmists’ thought of man matched their thought of God. 
True, they were fully aware of the depths to which human nature 
could sink, and they did not shrink from picturing their foes as 
sunk in the lowest of those depths. Yet man who is capable of com- 
munion with God cannot be classed with the brute creation, but 
must have divine potentialities. This is the note struck by one of 
the psalmists in Ps. 8, and with his picture of the high estate of 
man we may well close this sketch of the religion of the Psalter: 


When I see thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, 
The moon and the stars which thou hast formed; 
What is man that thou shouldst think of him, 

And the son of man that thou shouldst care for him? 
Yet thou hast made him but little lower than God, 
And dost crown him with glory and honor! 


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APPENDIX B 


TEXTUAL NOTES 


Pss. 9 and 10. These two psalms were originally one. They formed 


an acrostic poem, with a four-line stanza for each letter of the 
Hebrew alphabet in order. The original fourth stanza has dis- 
appeared, and the alphabetic structure ceases at 10:1, to be 
resumed at 10:12. 


. 9:9. So by slight vowel change; Heb. “they” for “‘behold.” 
. 10:64. So by slight vowel change; Heb. ‘“‘which” for “my 


> 


steps. 


- 11:64. So with some Greek manuscripts; Heb. “snares and 


fire.”’ 


» 12:94. So with Vrs.;? Heb. “them” for “us.” 

. 12:74. So with some manuscripts; Heb. “him” for “us.” 

. 16:24. So with Vrs.; Heb. ““My welfare is not upon thee.” 

. 16:34. So by slight change; Heb. “all” for “‘no.” 

.16:4a. So by slight changes; Heb. ““Their troubles will be many; 


they buy another[?].” 


. 16:74. Heb., literally, “my kidneys” for ““my thoughts.” 
. 16:94. So by slight vowel change; Heb. “my liver” for “my 


honor.” 


. 17:3d. So with Heb. consonants and in part with LXX; Heb. 


vowels, ““Thou dost not find; I have thought.” 


. 17:46. So by slight change; Heb. “I have kept the ways of the 


violent.’ 


. 17:114. So by slight change; Heb. “our steps, etc.” 

.17:146. So by slight change; Heb. “portion is from the world.” 
. 18. This psalm is a duplicate of II Sam., chap. 22. 

. 18:124. So by slight change; Heb. “waters” for “‘heavens.”’ 

. 18:164. So in II Sam. 22:16; Heb. here, “waters.” 

. 18:30a. So by slight change; Heb. “run a troop.” 

. 18:36c. So by slight change; Heb. “thy humility.” 

.18:434. Soin II Sam. 22:43; Heb. here, “I pour them out, etc.” 


1 Vrs, = Versions, viz. Septuagint, Vulgate, Peshitto, Targum, etc. 


[ 265 ] 


enreeererreneee 


THE PSALMS 


SREREEEENSENECEUNOSOECOUAEUTERERERTERTYRETIOTAGROTUCTERREREERREDPONRERUSURIGUDEOTED ES FRENEOATOROTT ON EEEEESERETONSENETORSO OOREOEPOENONEE DOOD DEO LULECEETOONENCOOCEDHERTENENEDVEDOVETCRFERDEDEREYETEREE HED FENUEY ODE CESNRERESETEONIUNTOOTEREEDEPTETOTERPROOENEN PRN LORE TENERRIESE 


. 19:4@. So with Vrs.; Heb. “their line.” 

. 20:36. Literally, “regard as fat” for “accept.” 

. 20:74. So with LXX; Heb. “Some call upon, etc.” 

. 20:94. So with LXX; Heb. “May the king answer us, etc.” 

. 22:3. So by slight change; Heb. “and thou art holy, inhabit- 


ing the praises of Israel.” 


. 22:84. So by slight change; Heb. “Roll thou upon the Lord.” 
. 22:94. So with LXX; Heb. “Thou didst draw me forth from, 


? 


etc. 


. 22:16¢. So partly with Vrs.; Heb. “Like a lion are my hands 


and my feet.”’ 


. 22:174. So in part with Vrs.; Heb. “I count all my bones.”’ 
. 22:29b, So LXX; Heb. “before thee.” 
. 22:294. So by slight change; Heb. “All the fat ones of the 


earth shall eat and worship.” 


. 24:66. So with LXX; Heb. omits “the God of.” 
.25:17a. So by slight vowel change; Heb. ““They have enlarged, 


etc.” 


. 26:24. Literally, “Examine my kidneys, etc.” 
. 27:13a. Some Hebrew manuscripts read, “Had I not believed, 


etc.” 


. 28:84. So with some Hebrew manuscripts and Vrs.; Heb. “The 


Lord is their strength and refuge.” 


. 29:94. So by slight change; Heb. “brings travail upon the 


hinds.” 


. 31:64. Some manuscripts and the Vrs. read, “Thou hatest.” 
.31:10¢. So with Vrs.; Heb. “through my guilt.” 
. 31:11. So by slight change; Heb. “and to my neighbors ex- 


ceedingly.” 


. 32:64. So by slight change; Heb. “in the time of finding, only, 


etc. 


. 32:78. So by slight change; Heb. “with shouts of deliverance.” 
. 34. An acrostic psalm in two-line stanzas, which begin with the 


letters of the alphabet taken in order. 


[ 266 | 


TEXTUAL NOTES 


LENT N NEN NNTET NUTR ITNTENNENEN HRDUTD HTENETINES SSD EYUETTANTISTSORSERORSEDIT OUDTSITESTTONSTERED DOUTEEEEELIOESEOOFISOVOLIUESSUOSE FEEDESEEEDOOETETEOTOETUD ON TV ONDETEEST SEED OSETEVENEDEDENEDESEYEFTOEEELEFE Der eHeENeeEHEEYTTeserrerrEEeEerrEre ren eereee a sees: 
See cred 


Ps. 


Ps. 


rg 
7) 


34:5. So with some Vrs.; Heb. “They looked at him and were 
jubilant and their faces were not abashed.” 


35:74. So with Syriac; Heb. puts “‘pit” immediately before 


»35:16a. So with LXX; “‘With the profanities of those who mock 


”? 
° 


for a cake[?] 


. 35:178. So by slight change; Heb. “from their destruction.” 
. 36:15. So by slight change; Heb. “An oracle of transgression to 


the wicked [is] within my heart.” 


. 37. An alphabetical acrostic, in four-line stanzas, the first lines 


of the stanzas beginning with the letters of the Hebrew 
alphabet in their order. 


. 37:21. So with LXX; Heb. “those blessed of him” and “‘those 


cursed of him.” 


37:22. So by slight changes; Heb. “From the Lord a man’s steps 


are established, and he decides his way.” 


. 37:34. So with LXX; Heb. “like a green tree in its native 


soil ?].”’ 


» 37:364. So with LXX; Heb. “Watch the blameless one and 


look upon the upright.”’ 


. 38:18a. So by slight change; Heb. “For I tell my guilt.” 
. 39:14. So with LXX; Heb. “TI will watch a muzzle, etc.” 
» 39:11. So with LXX; Heb. “Thou dost consume his treasure 


like a moth.” 


. 40:17. So with Ps. 70:5; Heb. here, “May the Lord give 


thought to me.” 


. 41:84. So with LXX; Heb. “An evil disease is poured out upon 


him.” 


. 41:94. So by transposition and slight change; Heb. “has en- 


larged a heel against me.” 


. 42:45. So with LXX; Heb. “that I went with the crowd, I drew 


them forth to the house of God.” 


. 44:5. So with LXX; Heb. “order” as imperative. 
. 45:3. So with Vrs.; Heb. repeats “and your majesty.” 


[ 267 | 


serene 


Ps. 


Ps. 
Ps. 


I 


1¢2) 


THE PSALMS 


HUUEEEDED UT EEED EET CPT ETETUFEECUEED ENED OR CEDETETODCEEELEVEDEDRRERLEEDERDON DEN FEREOEDESEVORELIODOVENDEDEDETE EGR EEPETEREUDDOLOEUNDLEFEOEYASDEN DO RENWEDDLALADURTOPEPEDENDODEN OOOH DU VETYYANENO TORO HNONDENRRTETNVENELENTENDIDOENDUFERORY ES TESTES DER IONONVENEREN RYT EDO NNO “- 


45:5. So by transposition; Heb. “Your arrows are sharpened; 
peoples will fall under you; in the midst of the king’s foes.” 
49:12a. So following vs. 202. 

49:14¢. So by slight change with context; Heb. “The upright 
will rule over them.” 


. 49:18. Heb. “They will congratulate you.”’ 

.49:18d. Heb. “They will never again see light.” 

. 49:20a. So by change of one letter;, Heb. “man in honor, etc.” 
. 0:14, Or by change of one letter, “and the earth feared, etc.” 
. $1:6. The Hebrew as it stands is unintelligible. This transla- 


tion involves a new pointing for one word and the omission 
of another word as a mistaken gloss. 


. §2:14. So Heb.; by transposition of one word and a slight 


change of vowels, we get “‘against the pious all day long.” 


. 52:9. So by slight change; Heb. “and will await thy name, for 


it is good before thy saints.” 


. $5:194. So by slight change; Heb. “God will hear and will 


humble them, / For he dwells of old. Selah.” 


. §8:1. Heb. text is very ambiguous; “‘gods’’ has also been ren- 


dered “indeed,” “‘congregation,” and “‘in silence.” 


. 8:24. So with Vrs.; Heb. “‘measure[?] out violence.” 
. 8:7. So by transposition of one word and redistribution of 


consonants; Heb. “‘one who treads his arrows as though they 
were cut off.”’ 


.$9:154. So with LXX; Heb. “They stay all night.” 
. 60:5-12. These verses reappear as Ps. 108:6-13. 
. 60:8¢. Soin Ps. 108:9, Heb. here, “Over me shout in triumph, 


O Philistia.” 


. 61:2¢. So by slight change of vowels; Heb. ‘““Thou wilt lead 


Pd 


me. 


. 61:54. So by slight change; Heb. “hast granted the inherit- 


ance.” 


. 65:$d. So by slight change; Heb. “‘the sea of far-off ones,”’ 
.65:10a. So with Vrs.; Heb. ““Thou dost throw down its clods.” 


[ 268 ] 


TEXTUAL NOTES 


tOAOENEAEADASASESDEEESAEEIHOUOLAENEEESEDADEANELOGIEEA OOO LSABOSSOAEPAHUSON TE SSESASHEMEED HOSES DERD DOMSILAEPTOAGO DD SDESDOSSRDOS SAADOROSOE DESEURES DOOSO0C 088) 


. 66:12¢. So with Vrs.; Heb. “to abundance.”’ 
. 66:17b. So by slight changes; Heb. “It was raised under my 


tongue.” 


. 68:62. So by slight change; Heb. ‘“God makes the desolate in- 


habit a house.”’ 


. 68:174. So by new division of letters; Heb. “The Lord in them 


Sinai in the holiness.’’ 


. 68:21. So by slight change; Heb. “‘the hairy skull.” 

. 68:244a. So with Vrs.; Heb. “‘may crush in blood.” 

. 68:274. So by change of vowels; Heb. “bless ye God.” 

. 68:29¢. So with Vrs. and some Hebrew manuscripts; Heb. 


“Thy God commanded thy strength.” 


. 68:30c. So with LXX; Heb. “trampling upon those delighting 


in silver.’ 


. 68:314. So with Vrs.; Heb. “Let princes come, etc.” 
. 68:35. So by change of two vowels; Heb. “‘It is Israel’s God who 


gives strength and power to the people. Blessed be God.”’ 


.69:114. So with Vrs.; Heb. ““When I wept myself with fasting.” 
. 69:23. So with some Vrs.; Heb. “And to prosperous ones [?] a 


trap.” 


. 69:27. So with LXX; Heb. “and of the pain of thy victims 


they tell.” 


. 69:33. So by slight changes of vowels; Heb. “The humble will 


see; those who seek for God will be glad; and your heart will 
revive.” 


. 70. This psalm is a duplicate, with slight textual changes, of 


| PEWS TOSS oa ty 


.70:1. “Be pleased” is supplied from Ps. 40:13. 

. 70:34. So with Ps. 40:15; Heb. here, “May they return.” 
.'71:1-3. A duplicate, with slight variations, of Ps. 31:1-3. 

. 71:34. So with Ps, 31:24; Heb. here, “‘a rock of habitation.” 
. 71:6c. So by slight changes; Heb. “‘my praise.” 

.71:1$c. So in part, with Vrs.; Heb. “For I know not num- 


ber [?].” 


.72:5a. So with LXX; Heb. “May they fear thee, etc.” 


[ 269 | 


Aannenerannny 


THE PSALMS 


SHOUD OVEDREADRAEAPREAPADNASAUEAUSSOCODADORLDEUERAEAADTAGSOEDAEOES DROBEABEEOGNUASONTED OONRASSCSUASSSNGSEO OO DIDALDEORGLECABADOANGOSOCOAERELDEASEGERERUADSUSELO DE) EEEARRAREANAEAGEOALA SOLOS BERDROOTEDAODEDAOGUOAERIDEREEELESARESDIOS IC UOED OLA ABSSEREALSAAAASSOONEUADNALARERYSAEYPLOR 


. 73:4. So by different division of letters; Heb. “pangs to their 


death and healthy, etc.” 


. 73:10. So by different division of consonants in first line and 


change of one consonant in second line; Heb. ““Therefore he 
restores his people hither, / And waters of fulness are drawn 
off for them.” 


.73:215. Literally, “I was pierced in my kidneys.” 
. 73:24b. So by different division of consonants and repointing 


of the first two Hebrew words; Heb. “‘and afterward thou dost 
take me gloriously.” 


. 74:54. So by slight change; Heb. “as one brings in” for “in the 


passage.” 


. 74:84. So by slight change; Heb. “their progeny” for “We will 


Hellenize them.” 


. 74:115. So by slight change; Heb. “and thy right hand from 


within thy bosom consume.” 


. 75:18. So by redivision of consonants and with support of Vrs. 


Heb. “and near is thy name.” 


. 75:94. So with LXX; Heb. “T will declare forever.” 
-75:104a. So by change of one consonant; Heb. “T will break off.” 
. 76:4a. So by transposition of two consonants in first word; 


Heb. “Glorious [?] art thou.” 


. 76:44. So by slight change; Heb. “‘mightier than the mountains 


of prey.” 


. 78:484. So with LXX; Heb. “to the hail.” 
. 80:14. So as in vss. 3, 7, 19; Heb. “O God of hosts—repeat 


please,’ 1.e., ditto. 


. 80:164. So by change of one letter in first word; Heb. is unin- 


telligible. 


. 84:74. So with some Vrs.; Heb. “He appears unto God in Zion.” 
. 85:8¢. So with LXX; Heb. “May they not return to folly.” 

. 86:11¢. So with Vrs.; Heb. “Make my heart one to fear, etc.” 
. 87:44. So by slight vowel changes; Heb. ‘‘on account of those 


knowing me; behold, etc.” 


[ 270 ] 


TEXTUAL NOTES 


14ADANENEANEEDEEETERUTITAAENE ET SERODOAEAAESERROUEOEAOLONOSESREOROSONEODESASORESEEDEFLGTOASGUSHANDEREDEDEDEDESEADOORPOEEDDOVOOOOGNVEROESES RENE LAUNASASPSNESHIOSUTILUSANLERAAIOONINORSE HOSEN ASOD OOHEERSREAEOIOEDAEEAHELUOHONSAAES ERAS RONOGEABAN#HHAENONAHENHEEHENOONONEAOONEDE 


. 87:74. So by slight change; Heb. “‘like men dancing.” 
. 87:7. So by change of vowels; Heb. “All my springs are in 


thee.’’ 


. 88:14. So by slight vowel change; Heb. “O God, God of my 


deliverance, by day, etc.” 


. 89:334. So by change of one consonant, with some manuscripts 


and some Vrs.; Heb. “I will not break off, etc.” 


. 89:374. So by slight vowel change; Heb. “‘and be a faithful 


witness in the skies.” 


. 89:474. So by slight change; Heb. “Remember, I, what is life.” 
. 89:50a. So by slight change; Heb. “How I carry in my bosom 


all great ones, peoples.”’ 


. 89:514. So with LXX; Heb. “the footsteps of thy anointed.” 
. 90:9. So with Vrs.; Heb. ‘““We bring our years to a close like 


a sigh[?].” 


. 96:1. This psalm is copied in I Chron. 16:23-33. 
. 97:38. So by slight change; Heb. “around his foes.” 
. 97:104. So by slight changes; Heb. “They who love the Lord 


hate evil.” 


. 99:34. So by slight change of vowel; Heb. connects with vs. 4, 


reading, “The strength of the king, who loves justice.” 


. 100:36. So with the vowel text; consonantal text reads, “He 


made us and not we ourselves.” 


. 102:3a. So with some Heb. manuscripts and Vrs.; Heb. “‘in 


smoke.”’ 


. 105:224. So with LXX; Heb. “That he might bind, etc.” 
. 105:284. So with LXX; Heb. “They did not rebel against his 


words.” 


. 105:404. So with Vrs.; Heb. “He asked, etc.” 
. 106:7¢. So by slight change; Heb. ‘‘against the sea, at the sea 


of reeds.” 


.106:274. With Ezek. 20:23; Heb. here, “would let their de- 


scendants perish” (lit., “‘fall’’). 


.107:3c. So according to context, with slight change; Heb. “from 


the sea.” 


[ 271 | 


enrtenenennes 


Ps. 
Ps. 


Ps. 
Ps, 


THE PSALMS 


WOUARNEDUBEMDEAADALGNAUEDAUOLAARELIDROREHEDEABECTELOGODELEEDEDDEVETELENEGEAUAEANT OD EEOEDEEAAUEGAAAENALAG SEA DA DDERLLENDBESAAAAAU POSTE UEDCUAEDOREEDOTOOEIUUGUDOSEUGREDEREAEANDDOSANAGOEAGUANOONSEORSASAINELUNOGOAOSOAEAENSAENANGEREINOAOOOOESERSEEEAENSOANAUOOSHOUNOATERANAEANEUSUOED 


. 108:1-5. A duplicate of §7:7-11. 
. 108:4¢a. So with §7:10a; Heb. here, “great from upon the 


heavens.” 


. 108:6-13. A duplicate of 60:5-12. 
. 109:4. So according to context, with slight changes; Heb. 


PARC ty. Draven. 


. 109:106. So with LX X; Heb. “‘May they search, etc.” 
. 109:284. So with LXX; Heb. “They rose up and were ashamed, 


etc.” 


. 110:64. So with Vrs.; Heb. “It is full of corpses.” 
. 111. An acrostic psalm, the lines beginning with the letters of 


the Hebrew alphabet taken in order. 


. 112. An acrostic psalm, the successive lines beginning with the 


letters of the Hebrew alphabet taken in order. 


.118:124. So with Vrs.; Heb. “They will be quenched like, etc.” 
. 118:134. So with LXX; Heb. “Thou didst thrust hard at me 


that I might fall.” 


. 119. This acrostic psalm has twenty-two strophes, one for each 


letter of the Hebrew alphabet, each containing sixteen lines. 
Each alphabetical letter opens the first and each succeeding 
alternate line of its strophe. 

119:154. So with Vrs.; Heb. “I gaze upon thy paths.” 
119:30. So with change of one consonant in last word; Heb. 
“I have set.” 


. I1g:122a. So with context and by change of two consonants; 


Heb. “Pledge thy servant, etc.” 


. 119:1604. So with Vrs. and some Heb. manuscripts; Heb. 


“Sudgment.” 


. 119:1614. So with vowels and Vrs.; Heb. consonants, “thy 


words.” 

126:14. So with LXX; Heb. “‘We shall be like dreamers.” 
127:2d. So by slight vowel change and with Vrs.; Heb. “‘his 
loved one.” 


yo72) 


TEXTUAL NOTES 


HEELEELENOENEETET UL OTENOTEEVEDET IFERETDEEETNEON ENE TS OUEDEE FTENEVOUUUTT I EEOEHTTESTOWORED ET ORERENESULETENELDORESSEVOELEUTESSIOAS IDO OVSEEEDONSDVEROODOFNEREOYOOEOND PHO HIUETOFESY I FrEEyyETET® VEFPOOURTRES OTT I RETENT ERI EN TAO RELETENYLON DEES ETTEREO TERETE, DETESTETOESESD /S5#PRRRETE®, 


Ps. 


Ps, 
Ps. 


Ps. 


Ps. 


Ps. 


Ps. 


Ps. 


Ps. 


135:15-20. These verses are a duplicate with modifications of 
Ps. 115:4-6¢@ and 8-11. 


. 137:3¢. So by change of one consonant; Heb. is unintelligible. 
. 137:54. So by transposition of one consonant; Heb. “May my 


right hand forget.” 


. 138:2¢. So with LXX; Heb. “magnified thy word over all thy 


name.” 


. 138:34. So with Vrs.; Heb. “Thou didst make power restless 


in me.” 


. 139:114. So by slight change; Heb. “pant after me [?]” or 


“erase me[?].” 

139:14a. So with Vrs.; Heb. “I am fearfully wonderful.” 
139:16a. So by transposition of the word “days” from the last 
line of this verse; Heb. is unintelligible: 

Thy eyes saw my unshapen mass; 

And in thy book they were all written; 

Days were formed, and there was not one among them. 
139:184. So by slight change of vowels in one word; Heb. 
“When I awake, I am still with thee.” 

139:204. So with consonants; vowels, “who declare thee [for an 
evil plan].” 
139:204. So with some Vrs.; Heb. “‘who take thy cities in vain.” 
140:94. So in part with LXX; Heb. omits negative and is diffi- 
cult; literally, “Those encompassing me will be high as to the 
head.” 
141:5. This verse interrupts the connection between vss. 4 and 
6, and fits in better after vs. 3. 
141:6, 7. These verses have veen very poorly preserved. The 
rendering given here involves the transposition of the word 
“rock” from vs. 6 to vs. 7 and four simple corrections of errors. 
Heb. as it stands reads: 
Their chieftains will be hurled down by the sides of the rock; 
And they will hear my words that they are pleasant; 
Like one cleaving and splitting in the land, 
Our bones, etc. 


[ 273 ] 


mene eNeaMNENeDEnsUCHanETeNevensyeaenersrsereeieryereerereeereceeereeecEeneenetensennarenrrncartvenerseeiry rrtrerertsverreryrererrery ree 


CUeDENTEReeNveneerereerenr sentry nvantereree ye STSREDERYTON TNO RONITEEDT THON ONTEVEE RR YES OSE FN ENEORTER 


. 143:10¢c. So with Syr. and some Heb. manuscripts; Heb. “a 


level land.” 


. 144:1-7a. These verses are based upon and condensed from 


parts of Ps. 18. 


. 144:2a. So by change and transposition of one consonant; Heb. 


“my grace and my fortress.”’ 


. 144:2d. So with Vrs. and vowel text; Heb. “my people under 


23 


me. 


. 146. An alphabetic acrostic, each letter of the alphabet in turn 


starting a group of two lines; but the ”u-couplet is missing. 


. 145:5. So with LXX; Heb. “The splendor of thy glorious 


majesty, / And the things of thy wonders I will tell.” 


[ 274 ] 





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